TALENTED Fremantle defender Alex Pearce has suffered a setback in his bid to return from a long lay-off.
The club confirmed Monday he was nursing a new fracture in the right leg he broke during last year’s round nine clash with Richmond at Subiaco Oval.
The 2013 draftee re-injured the leg during a running session at the club on Friday.
In a sprinkling of good news, football operations manager Chris Bond said Pearce would not require surgery.
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READ NOW“Alex won’t need to undergo any surgery to the leg; however he will be required to wear a weight-bearing cast for six weeks to maximize his rehabilitation,” he said.
“It’s just an unfortunate incident that happened during a standard running session with our rehab group.”
Bond said the club’s medical team was focused on ensuring Pearce “has an impact in the 2017 season”.