Fremantle Dockers captain Alex Pearce will avoid surgery and is expected to return to training in the pre-season, after scans confirmed he suffered only a partial tear of his Achilles tendon in Saturday’s dramatic AFL grand final loss to Brisbane.
Pearce was forced off in the third-quarter after going down while chasing the ball in the Dockers’ seven-point defeat.
Fremantle football manager Joe Brierty said Pearce’s prognosis was promising.
“Thankfully Alex has not had a complete rupture of his Achilles tendon and he will not require surgery,” Brierty said.
Scans confirmed Pearce suffered a partial tear of his Achilles tendon. (ABC News: Lucy Murray)
“Scans have revealed a partial tear of his Achilles tendon and also a significant calf strain.”
He said Pearce was expected to return to pre-season training.
Injury prompted career concerns
There had been fears for Pearce’s future had scans shown the worst, with a complete tear and an extended time on the sidelines likely raising questions about the 31-year-old’s career.
The positive news for Fremantle comes after a heartbreaking week, in which the club fell devastatingly short of its first premiership, giving up a 17-point lead in the final four minutes as the Lions claimed three straight flags for the second time in club history.
It also comes as the Dockers confirmed they would not be holding any public events to thank the fans for their support, with Brierty defending the decision on 102.5 ABC Perth.
“From our perspective we’ll still celebrate the year and I’m sure all our members and fans will,” Brierty said.
“But right here and now our focus is on making sure that we exit the right way and prepare ourselves to have a really strong pre-season, and that starts with making sure we’ve set the players up for the off-season.”
‘Wonderful season’
Fans took to 102.5 ABC Perth to voice their disappointment about the loss, while also praising the team for its stellar season.Â
“We’ve got to thank them for the wonderful season they’ve had,” one supporter said.
Another supporter fondly recalled greeting the players in 2013 at the Subiaco Oval after their grand final loss that season, saying “it was really joyous.”
Four-time grand finalist and ABC football expert Sharrod Wellingham said greeting the fans after Saturday’s loss would have been a nice gesture.
“It’s a little thing, but it would’ve meant a lot to so many, don’t you think?” Wellingham said.
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