Glen Quartermain: Will Sean Darcy reward coach’s show of faith with recall against Gold Coast?

Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir is a true believer. Unapologetic in his advocacy of Sean Darcy and Luke Jackson flourishing in the same team, Longmuir has stared down critics of the union. Now Darcy is back in the team, handed an opportunity to prove his coach right on arguably the competition’s toughest road trip and most difficult challenge. Gold Coast ruckman Jarrod Witts leads the competition for hitouts with 413 at an elite average of 11.5 to advantage per game. It’s a big show of faith from Longmuir, with the Dockers perched just outside the eight on six wins and five losses. They are on a roll, and while a win over the Suns on the Gold Coast is considered a long shot, does the Darcy-Jackson combination give them the best chance to do so? And is there a risk of stifling the form of Jackson, who has clearly embraced being the No. 1 ruckman in Darcy’s absence? Just last weekend Jackson’s numbers were in the stratosphere: 38 hitouts, 21 disposals, eight clearances, six inside 50s, eight score involvements and a stunning checkside goal from deep on the boundary. The Darcy-Jackson combo didn’t work in round eight when St Kilda’s Rowan Marshall led an upset victory at Marvel stadium. While Jackson was among the Dockers best when they fell to Collingwood the following week after at Optus Stadium, Darcy was subbed out of that game with knee soreness. Before Darcy was ruled out of last week’s game against Port Adelaide, Longmuir was asked if he had wavered in his belief the pair could be a dominant force. “No, I haven’t. I’d just love a little bit more evidence (and) a little bit more time for them to be able to work together,” he said. “The most unfortunate thing if he (Darcy) does miss this week is that it’s just another hiccup in their partnership and their ability to work together. “I haven’t lost any confidence in how that can work in the future.” There is a belief that Darcy has the body strength to match Witts at stoppage, albeit it’s a considerably slimmer version after an off-season spent on a new diet to take the load off his body after 12 months of injury concerns. Then Jackson can expose him with his mobility that is peerless among AFL ruckmen. The old one-two punch, with the Suns recalling the inexperienced Ned Moyle to partner Witts. Darcy is not the only big name to be recalled. Nat Fyfe also makes his way back into the team for the first time in seven weeks, a big-body option to combat one of the competition’s best centre clearance teams, led by Matt Rowell, Touk Miller and Noah Anderson. The Dockers have won contested possessions by at least 10 in their past three games, peaking at plus 22 against Port Adelaide last start. Alex Pearce, cleared of a three-match suspension at the AFL Tribunal but unable to shrug off a hot spot in his leg, is a huge out, replaced by Josh Draper as like-for-like replacement. Draper, Brennan Cox, Luke Ryan and Heath Chapman will have their work cut out curtailing Ben King, Jed Walter, Ned Long and Bailey Humphrey.