Fremantle defender Jordan Clark is adamant Nat Fyfe will be able to bounce back strongly from the latest serious injury of his glittering AFL career.
Fyfe faces a battle to play again this season after scans revealed he has a stress fracture in his left foot.
The 31-year-old missed six games earlier this season due to plantar fasciitis in the same foot, and it remains to be seen how well he is able to recover from his latest setback.
Fyfe has undergone more than 20 surgeries during his 218-game career, and the physical pain he has endured year after year has taken a big toll on his body.
The two-time Brownlow medallist has been a handy contributor this season, but openly admitted earlier this year that he will never again be the player that once dominated the AFL.
Nevertheless, Fyfe's big body and experience still looms as a crucial cog in Fremantle's hopes of snaring a flag in the next few years, and Clark is backing the former skipper to bounce back strongly.
"He's a professional," Clark told reporters on Tuesday.
"He knows how to deal with these things. We've seen him bounce back time and time again. I'm sure this time will be no different.
"He is a big loss. He's a very good player, a very good senior player.
"It's pretty unfortunate for Nat.
"But he's dealing with it really well. He was pretty upbeat and in good spirits when I saw him this morning."
Fremantle's finals hopes are on thin ice after last week's 29-point loss to the Western Bulldogs left it in 11th spot with a 7-8 record.
Freo host 14th-placed Carlton on Sunday in what looms as a crucial match for both sides.
The game will also mark the first time Blues wingman Blake Acres will go up against Fremantle since leaving at the end of last year.
Acres is averaging a career-high 23.3 possessions per game this year, and it seems as though he still has plenty of friends at the Dockers.
"Blake left the club on really good terms. He's really friendly with all of us boys," Clark said.
"He even popped around to the hotel the other night, the night before the game, and we were sitting around watching a bit of cricket and footy with him.
"He's in really good form at the moment."
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