He was injured on and off for nearly all season!
Don’t know where 28 games has come from because that almost certainly includes last season, you need to check your source (probably wiki)?

Like Norwood he was injured in pre season and was then playing catch up. He only started about 4 games and made a few bench appearances pre Christmas. He got injured again at the turn of the year and didn’t play again until 22nd March and then as you know scored 5 in our last 4 games when it mattered to get us up!!

As good as Fondop has been, I would take a fit Garner & a fit Norwood all day long!
Whether they can stay fit is another matter, however, IMO, they would be the calibre of player we would need to progress further.