Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir says “personal circumstances” can often override football requirements after revealing superstar big man Luke Jackson was training on his own in Melbourne ahead of a season-defining clash with the Western Bulldogs on Sunday.
The Dockers are hanging on to seventh spot on the ladder after a shock loss to the Brisbane Lions at home last week and could miss the finals altogether should they lose to the Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium in their final regular season game.
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The Gold Coast Suns, who have two games remaining, would have to beat both Port Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval this Friday and then Essendon next Wednesday to make that a reality.
Despite the crunch nature of the game, Longmuir backed a decision for Jackson to train in Melbourne after the mother of his partner, former netballer Kelsey Browne, passed away following a lengthy cancer battle.
Jackson has been in Melbourne all week and will remain there until Sunday’s game.
“I’m confident that we’ll be able to work our way around it and I’m confident that he can still prepare really well,” Longmuir said on Wednesday
“He’s been in contact with coaches, he’s watched our reviews.
“Sometimes, personal circumstances override team preference, so we’ll work our way through that.
“Come Sunday, it won’t be an issue at all.”
The Dockers’ playing squad will arrive in Melbourne on Friday when Jackson will link up with them and Longmuir put the pressure on his opponents who could also miss the finals with a loss.
“I understand the outside noise and everyone building it up. It’s what the game needs and fans will be building it up as a big game,” he said.
“But what the game needs is to go out and execute and it comes back to process.
“We’ve been in these situations before. The pressure is on them, isn’t it? Last time I checked, they’ve won one less game than us.
“The narrative around some of this stuff gets me a little bit, because last time I checked we are on the same amount of wins as Collingwood, who are fourth.”
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