Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir has addressed the Dockers' ruck conundrum.
Speaking to media on Wednesday off the back of Sean Darcy's 39-hitout, 23-disposal performance for Peel, Longmuir confirmed the club would stick with Mason Cox as Luke Jackson's support having seized his opportunity and playing 12 of the last 13 games.
“There's a few things he's working on,” Longmuir said of Darcy.
“His stat line was impressive but there is work to do with some of the things he's been working on, I wont go into that now. Coxy will hold his spot, I've been happy with the way he's been able to go forward and give us an aerial contest.
“He's started sticking his marks and some of his ruck craft and the difference he brings in the ruck compared to Jacko gives us an advantage so Sean will just have to be ready when his opportunity comes.”
Longmuir also conceded that starting games better is an area the club needs to look at improving.
The Dockers are yet to win any of their five first quarters since the byes and have become renowned for flicking a switch mid-game, but would be an even more dangerous proposition if they were frontrunners.
“Over the course of the year we've been pretty good in first quarters, it's just dropped away, our intensity and method,” he said.
“I think it's our method a little bit, not just clearance but all over the ground. It doesn't take a lot and your opposition will get ascendancy in the game.
“Even though we lost the first quarter last week, inside 50s were in our favour, we just didn't capitalise and that has been a bit of an issue in first halves, we've had the game looking as we want, we just haven't hit the scoreboard so we'll keep working on that but it's not a big issue.
“It's not necessarily about the scoreboard, it's more about how the game is played early in games so there is things we can do early in games which we'll work on.”
Longmuir added that Brennan Cox was tracking well and would play on Friday night against Western Bulldogs if it was a final, while Luke Ryan will line up as he manages soreness.
