Fremantle coach Ross Lyon has declared that veteran duo Aaron Sandilands and Michael Johnson will play again this season.
Both men suffered severe injuries earlier in the year and the timeframe on their respective returns has scratchy.
Sandilands is recovering from a horrific rib and lung injury that occurred in the round three clash with West Coast. The Freo Dockers' reigning best and fairest winner suffered multiple rib fractures and a punctured lung.
He spent several days in hospital following surgery to re-align the fractures. Freo initially listed the recovery time as six weeks back in April. He has missed 10 weeks already and is still listed as four weeks away.
Lyon said Sandilands had not suffered any setbacks. He stressed the recovery was a slow process but was adamant the star ruckman would play later in the season.
"He's a moving feast, isn't he?" Lyon said.
"I wouldn't call them setbacks. That was a significant rib injury. There was significant misreporting on that one too about ribs being removed.
"He's progressing. The surgeon has cleared him. He's working hard and you respect it's a long period so you've got to build their aerobic and anaerobic system back up.
"He'll get there. He'll certainly play again this year. It's anywhere north of (round) 18-19.
"But because it's not really relevant to me at this time I just leave it to the people in charge and then they'll bring it back in. So I've got a rough feel, but certainly not to the minute."
Johnson suffered a knee and hamstring injury simultaneously in the round five loss to Carlton. He required surgery but there is still no timeframe on his return.
The defender was doing some low-intensity running at Fremantle Oval last week.
"My understanding is that he'll play again this year," Lyon said.
"He's progressing well, and he'll play again at some point."
Lyon was adamant it was worth bringing back his two veterans late in the season.
"Of course it is," Lyon said.
"We pay our players to play, so when they're available we pick them. That's what we do."
The Fremantle Dockers have a concerning number of injuries at present with only 28 fit players to choose from this week against Collingwood. Lyon stated that he would not rush anyone back if they weren't ready.
