Fremantle have had some badly needed good news in the wake of their AFL grand final disaster, confirming captain Alex Pearce will not need surgery.
The Dockers are confident the key defender will return to training in the pre-season.
As the post-mortem continues following Saturday's devastating loss to Brisbane, Fremantle said Pearce suffered a partially ruptured Achilles tendon, as well as a calf strain.
Pearce was giving chase early in the third quarter of the grand final when he suddenly fell to the ground as if shot.
Two trainers helped him from the field, with one of the most shattering images of the loss being Pearce hobbling past the premiership cup on crutches at the post-game presentations.
Brisbane coach Chris Fagan and several of his players offered their best wishes to Pearce soon after the final siren.
Coach Justin Longmuir said losing the Dockers' defensive general cost them, especially during Brisbane's last-gasp comeback.
"Thankfully Alex has not had a complete rupture of his Achilles tendon and he will not require surgery,” Fremantle football boss Joe Brierty said on Tuesday in a club statement.
“Scans have revealed a partial tear of his Achilles tendon and also a significant calf strain.
“As it stands, we expect Alex to return to training in pre-season.”
Also on Tuesday, chief executive Simon Garlick was the latest key Docker to defend Wharfie Time and dismiss its activation as a factor in their heartbreaking loss.
Patrick Voss's goal at 22 minutes into the last quarter put Fremantle 17 points ahead, with four minutes of playing time left.
The Wharfie Time activation - designed to pump up Fremantle fans - was then sounded at the MCG.
All it did was fire up Brisbane, who kicked the last four goals to somehow seal their third-straight premiership.
Lions coach Chris Fagan and several of his players have said since that they had a plan if Wharfie Time was sounded, vowing they would try to use it to their own advantage.
The timing of the activation also ignored the informal Leigh Matthews rule, which has become practically AFL gospel. The Collingwood and Brisbane premiership coach holds that if the margin in goals is less than the minutes left in a game, then the trailing team can still win.
But Garlick followed Longmuir and Brierty in denying Wharfie Time had torpedoed the Dockers.
“We know teams, including ours, have scenario plans for being a few goals down or up with a few minutes to go,” Garlick told SEN.
“Brisbane executed that plan exceptionally well on Saturday, clearly. It’s clearly a plan they would’ve had regardless of Wharfie Time."
It remains unclear whether Wharfie Time is now sunk.
“Our fans love Wharfie Time. We’ve just lost a grand final in the most heartbreaking way," Garlick said.
"We’re not about to throw out things that make us who we are.
“We’ll work through that."
