Tarrant as key as Scarlett

FREMANTLE coach Mark Harvey says key defender Chris Tarrant has become as important to his side as champion full-back Matthew Scarlett is to Sunday’s opponent, Geelong.

However, Tarrant is in doubt for the round-three clash at Subiaco Oval with an ankle injury, and Scarlett will not play after accepting a one-week ban from Monday’s clash with Hawthorn.

Tarrant, who rolled his ankle in the dying seconds of Fremantle’s round-two win over Essendon, didn’t train on Wednesday morning, but Harvey said he would give the star full-back until the last minute to prove his fitness.

“We just have to wait and see how he comes up and [if he] trains effectively Saturday morning,” Harvey said from Fremantle Oval on Wednesday.

“There’s nothing structurally wrong, so we wouldn’t be taking a risk if he was fit.”

Harvey said the result of Geelong forward Cameron Mooney’s challenge at the AFL Tribunal would not colour his decision to play Tarrant, who the coach likened to dual premiership player and five-time all-Australian Scarlett in terms of team influence.

“I think you’re going to recognise him as one of the best defenders in the competition,” Harvey said of Tarrant.

“If you compare it to a side like Geelong, who we play this week, he’s probably as important as Scarlett is to Geelong.”

Steven Dodd, who has been impressive in the WAFL since returning from shoulder and wrist surgery, is in contention to replace Tarrant if he is not declared fit.

Fremantle has also lost Garrick Ibbotson with a shoulder injury, but Harvey said the club now had the depth to cover his loss, with up to eight players available and hungry to get into the side.

First-year forward Nat Fyfe, who travelled to Melbourne for Fremantle’s round-two win, Byron Schammer and rookie Clancee Pearce were three players the coach named as possible replacements for Ibbotson, who has been playing a forward role this season.

Kepler Bradley or Zac Clarke will also be considered to give star ruckman Aaron Sandilands support against Geelong’s twin ruck attack of Mark Blake and Brad Ottens.

“They’ve got two big ruckman and it sort of took its toll on (Brent) Renouf last week,” Harvey said.

“It’s going to be a bit of a dilemma at the selection table whether we complement another ruckman or keep an extra running player that can keep more pressure on Geelong.

“That’ll be the decision we have to make.”

Harvey said drawing on his side’s pre-season clash with Geelong at Fremantle Oval would be important this week, but he was under no illusions as to the challenge his young and undefeated side faced.

“We’re L-platers trying to become P-platers,” he said.

“We’re trying to get our license and we’re about to find out.”