All-Australian defender Luke Ryan says the Dockers are fortunate to have depth in their defensive stocks after key personnel were ruled out of the round six match against the Blues due to the AFL’s health and safety protocols.

COVID reached the Fremantle playing group after they lost assistant coaches Josh Carr and Matthew Boyd on Tuesday, with defenders Heath Chapman and Hayden Young, alongside Liam Henry and Matthew Johnson, joining Connor Blakely on the sidelines due to being close contacts.

Fremantle were forced to split the playing group in two ahead of main training on Wednesday when Blakely entered the protocols after winning 31 disposals for Peel against East Fremantle last Friday.

Ryan, in his regular Thursday segment on 6PR Breakfast, told host Gareth Parker his RAT and PCRs were clear and not training with the main group was just an extra precaution ahead of a massive fixture against Carlton at Optus Stadium on Saturday night.

“Yeah I’m sweet to go, I’m just staying away from the group for a bit, because Nathan Wilson was over at my house and he was playing WAFL (for Peel),” Ryan said.

Press PLAY below to hear more from Luke Ryan on the club’s COVID issue