Fremantle star Nat Fyfe has pulled up well from his first game back despite having to use crutches on Monday to take the weight off his troubled left leg, Fremantle Dockers coach Ross Lyon says.
Fyfe gathered 32 disposals in the Freo Dockers' nine-point over the Sydney Swans in Saturday's qualifying final to help secure the club's second home preliminary final in three seasons.
Freo seals home prelim
It was the Brownlow favourite's first game since round 21 after he was sidelined with inflammation of the left fibula.
Lyon confirmed to Perth radio station 6PR on Monday night that Fyfe was on crutches and wearing a moon boot following the match. Lyon also said Matthew Pavlich was in a moon boot to protect his Achilles but insisted both were standard precautionary measures.
“Nathan’s really pulled up incredibly well,” Lyon said.
“That's just a precaution. Pav's in a moon boot as well … you (need to) just immobilise it.
"We were thrilled with (Fyfe), he's all smiles today. If it was a worry he'd be on the couch with the curtains drawn. He's in really good shape. He'll train this week."
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Veteran tagger Ryan Crowley will also train as he presses his claims for a shock return in the preliminary final. Crowley has not played football at any level since last year's semi-final due to a 12-month ban for a doping violation.
The ban will end on September 25 and Crowley would be eligible to be selected for the preliminary final on that day. However, despite Crowley's good physical condition Lyon said it was unlikely he would be picked.
"He looks fit, but he hasn't played all year," Lyon said.
"The odds are against him, I would think. But you never say never."
Lyon said he still had not received confirmation from the Fremantle Dockers' medical staff that veteran defender Luke McPharlin would be fit for the preliminary final after he was a late withdrawal from the side that beat the Swans last Saturday.
"He's got that slight calf issue," Lyon said.
"I just hand him over to the rehab team and hopefully at the right time we'll see him but that's yet to be proven."
Priceless time for Pav
Lyon said he would look closely at the structure of his forward line ahead of the preliminary final. Fremantle opted to leave out key forward Matt Taberner against the Swans as they anticipated wet weather that never came.
Taberner kicked five goals for Peel Thunder in the WAFL semi-final on Sunday to put himself back in contention.
"Clearly our front half, we're trying to work through the mix. When we were going really well it was obviously Taberner, (Zac) Clarke, Pavlich, (Chris) Mayne, (Hayden) Ballantyne and (Michael) Walters,” Lyon said
"So if we can get that sort of mix that would be good for us, and Taberner's performance probably gives us an opportunity to do that."
Lyon said his players would train as per normal this week and he said they were well equipped to handle the week off given they experienced the same scenario in 2013.
Lyon said he would probably travel to Melbourne on Friday to watch Hawthorn and Adelaide do battle for the right to play the Fremantle Dockers in the preliminary final.
