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Longmuir doubts AFL return before June

3 minute read

Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir believes current travel and quarantine restrictions will prevent players returning to training at their clubs any time soon.

Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir believes it is "unrealistic" to expect AFL players will return to full training at their clubs before June.

Melbourne's Simon Goodwin this week reiterated his hope that players could be back in training by May 4 - a date he said had been flagged by the AFL - pending clearances from relevant government and health authorities.

But his Dockers counterpart is looking longer term.

"The date (May 4) is not optimistic from a footy sense; it's probably just more logistically trying to get all our players back in the one place with the travel restrictions and the quarantining, which is going to be the difficult part," Longmuir told TAB Radio on Tuesday.

"We've got 8-10 players that are interstate at the moment and getting them back to WA and getting them integrating with our group is going to take at least two weeks.

"So I would think that if we get our players back by June that would be probably the date that I would earmark as the earliest possible date."

The AFL has flagged a three-week training period for clubs to prepare for games when the competition is cleared to resume but Longmuir said players would need more time.

The first-year Fremantle coach has been focused on ensuring his players do not burn themselves out during the shutdown period.

"We've got to make sure that if this drags on for a long period of time that they're not overdoing it," Longmuir said.

"I'm pretty sure, if anything, it (training) will hold them in good stead when they return.

"But we've just got to make sure they're not worn out mentally."

Longmuir gave another positive update on Jesse Hogan's progress after the key forward resumed training on his own this month.

Hogan has endured a difficult time on and off the field since joining the Dockers from Melbourne during the 2018 trade period and went on indefinite leave in January to focus on his mental health.

"He's continuing his wellbeing program to get himself right and get himself in a good spot so that when he does return he's going to make an impact and it's going to be a sustained effort," Longmuir said.

"My conversations with him have been really positive. He seems really happy and healthy and he seems like he's in a good headspace."

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