Fremantle Dockers defender Luke Ryan not selected against Adelaide despite absences of experienced defenders

Luke Ryan has again been overlooked for selection in Fremantle’s side for their pre-season game against Adelaide in Mandurah on Saturday, despite Alex Pearce and Brennan Cox being sidelined by calf concerns. Cox was not able to complete the Dockers’ match simulation against West Coast last week and is racing the clock to be fit for round one, while Pearce will also miss the clash with the Crows at Rushton Park after reporting calf soreness earlier this week. But despite the absences of his long-time backline teammates, Ryan has been listed among the emergencies for the club’s only official pre-season game, with two-game defender Hugh Davies instead called into the senior side. After Fremantle’s 28-point win over the Eagles last week, coach Justin Longmuir said there were “others ahead” of the two-time All-Australian following his injury-interrupted summer. “It’s though no real fault of Luke. He’s come back from a shoulder reconstruction so has only had a couple of intraclubs as a run in,” Longmuir said. Ruckman Sean Darcy will play managed minutes for Peel Thunder in their hit-out against West Coast’s reserves on Saturday, marking his first competitive game since hurting his calf late last month. Sam Switkowski will not feature at any level, with the speedy forward remaining in concussion protocols after being withdrawn from the game against the Eagles when he reported delayed symptoms. Star forward Josh Treacy will captain the Dockers in Pearce’s absence despite vice-captains Andrew Brayshaw and Caleb Serong also figuring in the selected side. Fremantle team for pre-season game against Adelaide B: H Chapman O McDonald H Davies HB: J Clark K Worner J McVee C: J O’Meara C Serong C Wagner HF: M Frederick M Reid S Bolton FF: J Amiss J Treacy P Voss RUC: L Jackson A Brayshaw H Young I/C: T Murray M Cox N Erasmus N O’Dricsoll B Walker J Draper I Dudley M Johnson EMG: L Ryan J Sharp B Banfield C Scerri