FREMANTLE coach Ross Lyon has given an early indication of his plans for Jesse Hogan, unleashing the star recruit for midfield bursts during Friday's intraclub at Cockburn.
Hogan attended several centre bounces and regularly pushed high up the ground when he was forward – similar to his role at Melbourne last season when he booted a career-best 47 goals and averaged 18.3 disposals.
With about 300 spectators watching on, the blue-chip recruit eased concerns over his fitness, covering plenty of territory after a gradual build-up from his navicular stress fracture since his blockbuster trade last October.
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Hogan finished with two goals and handed another off to impressive tall Matt Taberner (three) in an encouraging display.
"It was good for him just to be part of a team. I'm sure he would have been nervous playing for a new club," assistant coach Anthony Rock said.
"To get him into the midfield, he did a little bit of centre bounce work with Michael Walters and I thought that worked pretty well.
"I'm sure we'll see him there at some stage throughout the year. I think you spend a little less energy, it's more contested efforts in the midfield rather than being a key forward that's got to run up and down."
The 195cm big man started in attack in a three-pronged setup alongside ex-Giants tall Rory Lobb and Taberner, who lit up the first term with two majors from tough set shots near the boundary.
Hogan's tackling and intensity was a highlight as he blew off some cobwebs with his ball use.
The 2015 NAB AFL Rising Star fought an absorbing duel with Griffin Logue, who rebounded with penetration from half-back after his 2018 was ruined by a foot issue.
"His bodywork down back, his run, his use was really positive. It's really pleasing for him because he had a really torrid year last year with injury," Rock said.
Hogan and Walters, who starred midfield alongside evergreen veteran David Mundy and young gun Adam Cerra, both exited at three-quarter time with their work done for the day.
Cerra was all class in traffic and looks stronger after his second pre-season, showing he is ready to step up in an engine room weakened by injuries to Connor Blakely (hamstring) and Stephen Hill (quad) since Lachie Neale's departure.
The Dockers can ill-afford any more setbacks for their midfield group and there were concerns when ruckman Sean Darcy came off in the final term and iced his left hamstring.
But Rock downplayed worries over Darcy, who is set to lead the ruck in the JLT Community Series opener against Collingwood with Aaron Sandilands (calf) sidelined.
"That's precautionary. He's fine. Got through it. We thought he played really well, particularly in those first three quarters," Rock said.
"He got his hands to the ball and gave the mids first use."
Both sides noticeably took territory wherever possible under Lyon's revamped gameplan, although some of the delivery will need to be tidied up before round one.
The Dockers pitted their apparent No.1 attack against their best defensive unit on Friday, with 'white team' backmen Alex Pearce, Joel Hamling and Logue rotating on Lobb, Hogan and Taberner.
It left Cam McCarthy to play forward for the white team, in a sign he has work to do to earn a spot against North Melbourne in the March 24 season-opener.
Left-footed tall Hugh Dixon (three goals) and speedy Lachie Schultz (two) were the most dangerous forwards for 'white'.
Schultz was especially threatening at ground level and with Sam Switkowski and Brandon Matera playing small forward for purple, it remains to be seen where veteran goalsneak Hayden Ballantyne (ankle) fits in the puzzle.
A host of Dockers joined Ballantyne and Sandilands on the sidelines, including Stephen Hill, Blakely and Reece Conca (knee).
Draftee Luke Valente, Shane Kersten (foot) and Harley Bennell (calf) also didn't take part, while superstar Nat Fyfe, half-back Nathan Wilson and wingman Bradley Hill were absent due to AFLX duties.
