Fremantle coach Ross Lyon expects Connor Blakely to miss the remainder of the season and says he will continue to take a cautious approach with Harley Bennell.
Blakely injured his right knee at training on Wednesday and has undergone surgery.
Fremantle initially expected the meniscus damage would sideline him for six weeks.
But Lyon now expects that figure to balloon after the surgeon ended up repairing the cartilage instead of just trimming it.
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"The operation went well," Lyon said.
"They were able to repair it, which is really significant for his future because cartilage plays a significant (role in) cushioning.
"So he'll be in better shape as he gets older but it will mean a longer rehab. He will be really stretching it to get back (this year)."
Lyon hopes to see Bennell make his AFL return this year but only after an uninterrupted block of WAFL games.
However, Lyon won't hand Bennell a senior call-up until he's confident the midfielder's body can handle the rigours.
As it stands, he estimates he's about two-thirds of the way there in terms of volume and sprints.
"Harley just needs to keep building," Lyon said.
"It's not about the next six weeks, we want it to be about the next six years.
"We think that if we can build the body and the form, we know he's a top-flight player and he would add nicely to what we're doing."
Fremantle (6-7) is aiming for three wins on the trot against Brisbane at Optus Stadium on Sunday.
