Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir has confirmed promising youngsters Karl Worner, Tom Emmett, and Neil Erasmus will get their opportunity at AFL level.
The trio have been solid contributors for Fremantle's affiliate side Peel Thunder in the WAFL, with Erasmus averaging 22.3 disposals and 6.5 tackles per game while Emmett has kicked eight goals in eight appearances and Worner is averaging 26.4 disposals.
Worner, who has only had one game with less than 20 disposals for Peel, is in the frame for a debut after being an emergency in the Dockers' previous trip interstate against Melbourne three weeks ago.
"He's a chance. He's been in form," Longmuir said of Worner.
"There are still things that he can work on at Peel, and feel like his attention to detail with some of those things has been really strong, but he's put his hand up.
"Obviously he travelled with us and been an emergency for a while. So his name will come up."
Along with a potential debut for Worner, Emmett, former Sun Josh Corbett and tackling machine Erasmus have been knocking on the door for selection, having displayed solid football for Peel.
"Tommy is bit more of a small forward. He's come along week after week, improving aspects of his game to the point where we've been putting him in the midfield down at Peel as well," Longmuir said.
"So he's been really good and 'Corbs' has been close as well. and all those guys at Peel that have been emergencies along with 'Ras'.
"We've got some calls to be made at selection."
Erasmus, who's been displaying tremendous football at Peel, hasn't been in the Dockers' side since their Round 9 victory over Sydney.
However, Longmuir confirmed the 190cm midfielder has handled the situation extremely well.
"He's handling it really well. Like all our guys at Peel that are in good form and aren't quite getting opportunities they'd like at the moment," Longmuir said.
"Sometimes, externally it's like viewed as as a step back going back to Peel, but Ras is in his second year of senior footy, he hasn't played two years of senior footy yet, we drafted him out of Hale and underage level."
Longmuir confirmed veteran goalsneak Michael Walters is firming for a full game after returning against Richmond as the tactical sub due to a recent calf injury.
Midfielder Jaeger O'Meara is also set to return after serving a one-match suspension for a dangerous tackle on Melbourne's Charlie Spargo.
"We're pretty confident Sunny will get through training and come back into the team and we get Jaeger back from suspension as well which is going to be a bonus," Longmuir said.
While O'Meara is set to return to Longmuir's midfield, the Dockers coach will be hoping in-form onballer Caleb Serong is fit for this weekend's clash with the Giants amid fitness concerns for the Rising Star winner.
Serong required assistance from club trainers during Wednesday's training session at Cockburn due to a suspected leg issue, with Serong leaving training prematurely, according to 7 News reporter Anna Hay.
Dockers midfielder Caleb Serong has spent the second half of the session chatting to medics. Appears to be very bothered by his lower leg. He’s left the track and has headed to the rooms. @7NewsPerth @freodockers pic.twitter.com/se6pX1xxgd
— Anna Hay (@AnnaHay1) June 14, 2023
It is understood that Serong's workload will be managed for the coming days, however the star midfielder was not mentioned in the club's injury update earlier in the week.
Fremantle, who sit 10th with a 6-6 record, travel to face an improving GWS (5-8) this Saturday at GIANTS Stadium, with the opening bounce at 4:35pm (AEST).
