Fremantle’s depth is set to be tested even further following injuries to ruckman Sean Darcy and defender Brandon Walker, but midfielder Jaeger O’Meara remains confident there are players in the WAFL who can come in and have an impact.
Darcy injured his ankle during Saturday’s loss to Collingwood, while Brandon Walker suffered an ugly knee injury moments later.
The Dockers lost Hayden Young, Brennan Cox, Michael Frederick and Karl Worner to injury the previous week, while Caleb Serong was forced to sit out the game against Collingwood due to suspension.
Serong will return to face Sydney, but they still need to find players to fill other crucial roles.
“There was carnage in terms of the injury front as there was last week,” O’Meara said.
“There will be guys who get an opportunity. We’ve had some guys playing really good footy at Peel. I’m looking forward to those guys taking their opportunity and hopefully stepping up.”
Experienced pair Travis Colyer and Nathan Wilson both played in the WAFL on Sunday, while the club had a host of youngsters playing against East Fremantle.
The Dockers have fallen into the bottom four following their fifth loss in six games. Collingwood kicked 10 goals during the second quarter, just one week after the Dockers gave up six unanswered goals to Carlton in the third term.
Fremantle also allowed the Western Bulldogs to kick seven goals in the final quarter during round 16.
O’Meara said it was clear the Dockers need to find ways to halt momentum when the opposition started firing.
“That’s the growth in our game. To be able to wrestle that back, understand there is going to be momentum changes in games and not let it affect us as much as it is as the moment,” he said.
“That will be big growth for us as a collective. We’ve spoken about it. It’s across the board. It’s all of us. We need to get better.
“That’s the game. There’s momentum swings and you need to be able to wrestle that back and be really strong in the mind. It is a mental battle not to let yourself get down.”