Fremantle has named 2008 NAB Rising Star Rhys Palmer in its squad for Sunday’s Anzac Day Len Hall Game against Richmond at Subiaco Oval.
New recruit Nathan Fyfe and Kepler Bradley are also in the initial 25, which will be trimmed to a final 22 on Friday afternoon.
If Palmer plays it would mark a successful comeback from a knee reconstruction, exactly one year to the day since he injured the knee against Sydney in the 2009 Len Hall Game.
New recruit Nathan Fyfe and Kepler Bradley are also in the initial 25, which will be trimmed to a final 22 on Friday afternoon.
If Palmer plays it would mark a successful comeback from a knee reconstruction, exactly one year to the day since he injured the knee against Sydney in the 2009 Len Hall Game.
Fremantle coach Mark Harvey said that, after two WAFL reserves games and two league games, Palmer was raring to go, although he would not be rushed back into the team if he wasn’t right.
“You’ve got to make sure that these guys who have come off serious knee injuries are up to the speed of where they need to be,” Harvey said. “He (Palmer) thinks he’s ready to go, but we will tell him when he is ready to go.
“He’s getting close. He was an emergency last week, but it’s not easy to get into the team at the moment either and he knows that.”
Fyfe, 18, has been in good form in the WAFL, while Bradley could be recalled to help Aaron Sandilands in the ruck.
After losing to Terry Wallace’s embattled Tigers at Subiaco Oval last year, Harvey said he would be reminding his side of the danger a desperate Richmond team could pose on Sunday.
“I remember them (Richmond) copping a battering last time we played them and Terry Wallace saying the best thing for them at the time was to get out of Melbourne and play,” he said. “We have to match the intensity of a young side who are trying to find their way through the balance of what they are doing at the moment.”
Harvey said Fremantle should keep playing on Anzac Day even when the commemorative public holiday falls on a weekday.
With Anzac Day falling on Easter Monday next year, the AFL has indicated a Monday night fixture featuring Fremantle is likely.
“I think what’s made the day, from a sporting/AFL point of view, so intriguing and fascinating is the fact that they’ve kept it to one or two particular games,” Harvey said.
“If we played six or eight games we’d lose a bit of what it was all about."
Fremantle squad
Backs: Jay van Berlo Chris Tarrant Adam McPhee
Half Backs: Greg Broughton Luke McPharlin Roger Hayden
Centre: Matthew de Boer David Mundy Paul Hasleby
Half Forwards: Michael Johnson Matthew Pavlich Stephen Hill
Forwards: Des Headland Chris Mayne Anthony Morabito
Followers: Aaron Sandilands Michael Barlow Paul Duffield
Interchange (from): Hayden Ballantyne Rhys Palmer Nat Fyfe
Clancee Pearce Kepler Bradley Ryan Crowley
Alex Silvagni
