Brennan Cox will miss his Fremantle’s qualifying final against Hawthorn after scans revealed the defender had suffered a “moderate” calf strain.
The Dockers have confirmed the backman, who went down in the first quarter of his side’s 37-point loss to Carlton in Melbourne on Saturday, will not line up against the Hawks in the first game of their September campaign next Thursday.
Fremantle’s executive general manager of football Joe Brierty said Cox had not yet been ruled out of returning for the back-end of the finals series.
“It’s an unfortunate result for Brennan after an interrupted season and he’ll now miss our qualifying final,” Brierty said of Cox’s scan.
“We will assess all of the interventions possible to support Brennan’s recovery and look for him to be available post our first final.”
After the defeat at the hands of the Blues, Fremantle’s coach Justin Longmuir said Cox was “upset” to have suffered the setback.
“He’s putting on a brave face and making sure he’s giving good energy to the group,” Longmuir said.
“I feel for Coxy. He’s had an interrupted year, and he’s been battling to get back to his best fitness and form, and he saw evidence of that.
“But he’s been stopped again, so it’s disappointing for him.”
Cox was in strong form in the early stages of Fremantle’s minor premiership-winning season but has been battling with his body in recent weeks, having missed his side’s wins over West Coast and Western Bulldogs last month as part of his management of a knee issue.
Veteran Oscar McDonald, who impressed while Cox was sidelined and has retained his place in the senior side since the South Australian’s return, started Saturday’s loss to the Blues in the forward line but was swung back into defence in his absence and figures as likely to line up there against the Hawks.