3 minute read

Fremantle have a huge fight on their hands to retain Ed Langdon and Brad Hill beyond this AFL season.

Fremantle coach Ross Lyon is optimistic out-of-contract winger Ed Langdon will re-sign with the AFL club, but the future of Brad Hill remains up in the air.

Langdon is set to be pursued by a number of Melbourne-based clubs, but the Dockers are quietly confident they can tempt the Victorian to stay.

The 23-year-old is enjoying a career-best season and looms as a critical part of Fremantle's midfield plans going forward.

Langdon's importance will increase even further if Hill leaves as expected.

Hill has two more years remaining on his contract, but his girlfriend reportedly wants to move back to Melbourne and the three-time premiership star might join her in leaving Perth.

Lyon was giving little away when asked about Hill's future on Wednesday.

"I'm sure we'll deal with the situation when it arises," Lyon said.

"I don't offer contracts, I don't know where people sit. I'm hardly aware who's out of contract unless I make it a focus.

"I have private conversations with all my players ... and I'm not prepared to share any of my private conversations because I don't think it's appropriate.

"In this (press conference) forum - we certainly don't dive in deep, we'll just keep it fingernail deep as usual and that will suit us all.

"We'll leave the deep and meaningfuls to later."

Lyon gave more of a clue when it came to Langdon's future.

"Ed is one of our developed young players who's come through and he's played super on the weekend," he said.

"I'd be optimistic we could re-sign Ed. But I'll leave it to (football operations manager) Peter Bell and his list management team."

Fremantle's shock 34-point win over Geelong last week has kept them in the finals hunt, but they'll need to beat St Kilda at Marvel Stadium on Sunday to stay there.

The Dockers were dealt a blow during the week when it was confirmed star big man Rory Lobb would miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury.

Lyon said he would consider handing Hugh Dixon an AFL debut this week, while Luke Ryan and Nathan Wilson are slim chances of returning from injury.

Cam McCarthy, Hayden Ballantyne, and Sam Sturt are others in the selection mix if Lyon decides to change a winning side.