Alex Pearce: Fremantle captain set for more surgery as Dockers defend decision to play him against Melbourne

[Pelican Press 0]

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

Alex Pearce: Fremantle captain set for more surgery as Dockers defend decision to play him against Melbourne

Fremantle have defended their decision to field Alex Pearce against Melbourne in the wake of his fresh injury setback, with the Dockers skipper set to require another round of surgery later this week.

Pearce was sidelined for just under a month after fracturing his forearm in round 15, with the defensive anchor returning to face the Demons last weekend aided by a significant cast on his left arm.

But he lasted little more than a half of football after suffering a new fracture in a different spot on the same arm.

Dockers football manager Joe Brierty said Pearce would “more than likely” have surgery later in the week but backed the call made by the club’s medical staff for his return against Melbourne.

“When you put the plate in around a fracture, at times there can be a risk element, I guess, in terms of the bottom of the plate,” Brierty said on SEN.

“The risk doesn’t really change, whether it’s four weeks post-surgery or even kind of six-to-eight weeks post.

“Alex was obviously cleared to return, but with the result, it’s disappointing that he’s fractured the radius a bit lower at the end of the plate, not where the previous fracture was.”

Fremantle won’t estimate a timeline for Pearce’s return to action until after surgery. But with just one month left until the final home-and-away round, it appears unlikely the 29-year-old will feature before the Dockers’ finals campaign.

“Knowing Alex, he will be doing everything he possibly can to get himself back at quick as possible,” Brierty said.

“We’ll make sure all the boxes are ticked before he’s made available to play.

“It’s frustrating for Alex. He wanted to get back out there and lead the team in the way he’s gone about it all year.”

“But he’ll continue to lead off-field and drive the group.”

Pearce’s absence for this weekend’s western derby is set to reopen the door for Josh Draper’s return. The 20-year-old has missed just three games in his debut season, having been squeezed out of the side last weekend as Freo fielded the defensive trio of Pearce, Brennan Cox and Luke Ryan together for the first time this year.

Midfielder Matthew Johnson will miss a second game on Saturday with a foot complaint but is expected to be available for Fremantle’s road trip to face Essendon at the MCG in round 21.

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

#Alex #Pearce #Fremantle #captain #set #surgery #Dockers #defend #decision #play #Melbourne

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up