Axial play in this engine -is to me -just fine .
there should however, be no axial or radial play in the front bearing or in the front bearing to case.
Many believe there should be no fore /aft play in an engine.
This is wrong
The crankshaft -being steel grows lengthwise less than the case grows -due to heat .
For years, we deliberately added a shim behind the front bearing, IF NEEDED, to allow a clearance behind the rear bearing (we essentially moved the crank back inside the rear bearing)
There eliminated danger of the front and rear bearing fighting against each other .
The front bearing takes the END load --the rear bearing takes the rotating load
The end load is not shared between the bearings
This will probably draw some firm opposition as to how the bearings share loads
So be it.