Fremantle Dockers defender Brennan Cox admits he might take time to get up to speed at AFL level after injury

Brennan Cox says he is “like a kid in a candy store” being back playing football, but admits it might take some time to get up to speed in his looming return for Fremantle against Richmond on Saturday night. Cox is in line to play his first game since round one when the Dockers return home to play the Tigers. He said his long layoff with a severe hamstring injury has reminded him to not take playing football for granted. Dockers coach Justin Longmuir confirmed the plan was for the key defender to return after getting through 80 minutes in Peel Thunder’s WAFL game against Subiaco unscathed. “It’s definitely a step up adjusting to the speed because obviously I haven’t played for a while,” he said. “Even with the ressies last week it took me a while to get going sort of thing, bit the same today (in the league). “Hopefully I’m good. It might take me a bit to get going at AFL, but hopefully not.” Cox’s return comes at the perfect time, with the Dockers to go without captain and defensive general Alex Pearce for at least another two weeks. Young defenders Hugh Davies and Josh Draper combined to hold down the fort in the stunning victory over Sydney and Draper’s efforts are likely to earn him a Rising Star nomination. “Huge win for them, obviously over in Sydney against the top side was pretty amazing to get the job done over there,” Cox said. “Obviously with Moose going out, big leader in the backline, for them to come in and do their job is huge.” Cox was injured in a half-hour of carnage during the Dockers’ home victory over Brisbane in round one. Defensive colleagues Oscar McDonald and Karl Worner also went down in the chaos. After 15 weeks watching on, Cox said he couldn’t be happier as his return nears. “When I first went back into 18 v 18 at training I didn’t want it to end the first time I went in,” he said. “I couldn’t be happier, like a kid in the candy store, which is a bit the same now, I just love being out there. “You can sort of take playing for granted, but when you’re out for a while you can be a bit doom and gloom and grim in the rehab and stuff. I just love being back and playing with the fellers.”