'Million dollar' Fyfe close
Fremantle coach Ross Lyon says Nathan Fyfe looks a million bucks and will return in round 18 against Port Adelaide
STAR Fremantle utility Nathan Fyfe is set to return for Freo's round 18 clash with Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium, coach Ross Lyon says.
Speaking after Fremantle's 34-point win over Melbourne at Etihad Stadium on Saturday, Lyon said he expected Fyfe to return against the Power from the shoulder injury that has sidelined him since round five.
"We got really good news off the surgeons over here [in Victoria]. He flew over, he's here today, [he] looks a million bucks, so we'll be setting him for round 18," Lyon said of Fyfe.
Asked whether he would come straight back into Freo's team without a warm-up game in the WAFL, Lyon was emphatic.
"I think he's a 'group one', I don’t think we put him in the WAFL," he said.
Another promising Freo youngster, Anthony Morabito, returned in the WAFL on Saturday from the latest in a succession of injuries that have dogged him since he ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament in late 2010.
Lyon said the No.4 pick in the 2009 NAB AFL Draft would be considered for selection next week if he performed well in the WAFL.
However, Lyon said he still didn't know when ruckman Aaron Sandilands would return from the 'turf toe' injury that has sidelined him since round 11.
Lyon was hopeful that the pending returns of this trio and the return to form of midfielder David Mundy were signs Freo would soon be able to reassemble its best team.
Lyon said Mundy's 27-possession game against the Demons had been his best for 2012 and stressed just how difficult it had been for his star midfielder to return from the broken leg he suffered in round 12 last year against Essendon.
"It's pretty stressful as an AFL mid not being able to run for five or six months," Lyon said.
"His ability to mentally hang in while he's been rebuilding to his best form has been tough at times for him.
"But in the end if you keep working hard you get the right result and I thought he got that today."
Meanwhile, Lyon said Freo's victory over Melbourne reflected positively on his team's resilience, reserving particular praise for the ability of Matthew Pavlich, Luke McPharlin, Mundy and Matt De Boer to stand up after Freo's poor start to the game.
Lyon put Fremantle's ability to fight its way back into the match after Melbourne led by 20 points at quarter-time down to better ball use and improved accountability around the ground.
Nick Bowen is a reporter with AFL Media. Follow him on Twitter: AFL_Nick