Veteran ruckman Aaron Sandilands is feeling ready for another away travel trip ahead of Fremantle’s clash with Richmond at the MCG on Sunday, according to senior coach Ross Lyon.

The 35-year-old has played every game of the season so far and has shown no signs of fatigue, despite Lyon flagging that the elite ruckman will be due for a rest in the coming months.

“We have had discussions that we’ll need to manage him at some point,” Lyon said.

“Aaron wants to play, he’s fine and we’re managing him even better than we have done in the past. 

“He loves getting to Melbourne and playing on the MCG so we’ll play him.”

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Lyon said that Sandilands would continue to shoulder the load as Fremantle’s lone specialist ruckman as Sean Darcy recovers from a knee injury and Freo’s first year players develop with Peel. 

Michael Apeness might be the most likely option to rest Sandilands after an impressive return from injury for Peel against East Perth on Sunday, however Lyon feels the 23-year old also requires more time to build in the WAFL.

“We’re in a position where we need to play (Sandilands),” Lyon said.

“Sean Darcy has got a bit of work to do and Scott Jones and Lloyd Meek are still training up.

“Apeness played but still pulled up a little bit sore, so we’re not sure he’ll come up from the WAFL (yet) as he needs a bit more of a body of work.” 

Lyon praised the work of Sandilands in last Sunday’s Western Derby, where he battled against two specialist rucks from the Eagles in Nic Naitanui and Scott Lycett.

“I thought he was really significant for us against Nic Nat,” Lyon said. 

“He was able to play it out strongly and he was really influential.”