FREMANTLE coach Mark Harvey may have just 24 players to pick a side from, but he is still hopeful of upsetting finals-bound Collingwood on Friday night.
A foot injury will sideline captain Matthew Pavlich, who missed last weekend's clash with Richmond, while youngster Clayton Hinkley and midfielder Andrew Browne could earn recalls for utility Mark Johnson's final game.
"We will make one or two changes, but that will be it because that's all we've got," Harvey said from Subiaco Oval on Wednesday afternoon.
"We might only have two emergencies this week.
"It's no excuse, but what we have done is still run teams to the wire with a lack of personnel. I don’t want to grandstand about that on the back of a disappointing season, but I don’t think a lot of people have taken that into consideration."
While a bottom-four finish is disappointing for Harvey, he sees positives in the emergence of players who have filled absences in the side.
"A guy like Adam Campbell has had three or four shots on goal over the last three weeks, (Marcus) Drum took 10 marks last week and (Ryan) Murphy came back in to kick two goals," he said.
"Michael Johnson has played significant roles in defence, David Mundy has emerged in the midfield and Byron Schammer has done some pleasing roles on the elite players from the opposition.
"So all of that is pleasing."
Harvey is looking forward to the opportunity of Friday night's big stage and hopes to end Collingwood's three-game winning streak – which began after it suspended senior players Alan Didak and Heath Shaw.
"The game is sold out and that's fantastic for a young group of players that are willing, able and confident of beating Collingwood," he said.
"They've gone on to win the next three games on the back of losing two of their best five players. That shows the strength of that football club and we have to get to that stage ourselves.
"Without Pav (Pavlich) we beat Port Adelaide and could have won against Richmond last week, so hopefully we are starting to get there."
As for former Fremantle forward Paul Medhurst, who re-signed with Collingwood during the week, Harvey will ensure his return to the west is fittingly welcomed.
"Paul is still very close to a couple of Fremantle players and I'm going to find one of his best mates that he speaks to on a regular basis and put him on him," he said.
"He's talking about getting booed and all that, but he's a likeable guy and has had a good year or two.
"It might look like he's made the right decision in the short term (moving to Collingwood) but we will see in the long term."
