DEFENDERS INJURY SETBACKS
Mark Duffield / The West Australian
--
Fremantle defender Alex Pearce’s immediate playing future is again in doubt after another injury setback.
Sources have said the dashing defender was close to full training but suffered a setback while in isolation over the past month.
The club is now investigating the possibility of further surgery for the injury-plagued star.
Pearce had been slated for a round two or three return, had the coronavirus crisis not halted the AFL season.
The man widely regarded as Nat Fyfe’s most likely successor as Dockers captain was restricted to just 11 games in 2019.
Pearce fractured his left ankle in Fremantle’s round 11 win against Collingwood at the MCG last season and had follow-up surgery in December to strengthen it.
The 24-year-old is exceptionally highly rated by the Dockers as a player and person, and is a member of the club’s leadership group, but has played just 40 games in the last four seasons because of a series of breaks and fractures in his legs.
In March Pearce told thewest.com.au he was now drinking homemade bone broth as part of his bid to overcome his injury woes.
“I’m always looking and researching what I can do. I’ve been brewing a bone broth over the last month or so and getting that into me to see if maybe that’s going to strengthen things up and make me a little bit healthier,” Pearce said.
“Ideally with bone injuries, the bone calcifies and heals as strong as ever. So it shouldn’t really give me any grief. I’ve said that before, but injuries that I’ve had have been slightly different.
“But I’m confident that whenever I do get back I can string a few good years of footy together.”
Meanwhile the Dockers are also anxiously monitoring the progress of fellow defender Joel Hamling whose recovery from a significant summer ankle injury has been slower than anticipated.
He is not expected to be available straight away if the season resumes in mid to late June.
