Fremantle coach Ross Lyon is confident goalsneak Hayden Ballantyne will be fit to return for Sunday’s AFL clash with Brisbane at the Gabba, but Nat Fyfe is set to miss due to suspension.
Fyfe has been slapped with a two-match ban for his off-the-ball hit on Hawthorn veteran Jordan Lewis in Fremantle’s 19-point win on Sunday.
The incident, which left Lewis momentarily dazed, was assessed as intentional conduct, low impact and high contact.
Fyfe’s previous poor record means he can’t reduce the suspension to one game even with an early guilty plea.
Should Fremantle decide not to contest the charge, Fyfe will miss games against Brisbane and Port Adelaide (home) before returning for the start of the AFL finals.
His absence could pave the way for Anthony Morabito to return to the side.
Morabito, who made his AFL return last month before being dropped after three games, tallied 26 possessions and a goal in the WAFL on Saturday.
Fyfe is already ineligible to win this year’s Brownlow medal after copping a two-week ban for his bump that resulted in an accidental clash of heads with Gold Coast’s Michael Rischitelli.
Ballantyne was a late withdrawal against the Hawks due to lingering doubts over the hamstring he tweaked against Geelong eight days earlier.
Lyon revealed he was the one who made the late call to withdraw Ballantyne despite the 27-year-old meeting all of his key performance indicators during the week.
“He wanted to play. He’s an animal. He had met all the KPIs, but there was a risk,” Lyon said.
“I had strong advice he shouldn’t play, so it was left with me.
“He should be available (against Brisbane).”
Ballantyne’s likely inclusion will add further potency to the Fremantle forward line after Michael Walters made a successful return from injury against the Hawks.
Walters, playing his first match since injuring ligaments in his ankle in round three, tallied 15 possessions, kicked one goal and had four score assists to help power Fremantle to the 17.8 (110) to 13.13 (91) victory.
Fremantle’s win over Hawthorn kept the Dockers a game clear of Port Adelaide in the race for fourth spot.
The Power take on Carlton at Adelaide Oval on Friday night, before facing Fremantle in Perth in a game that could decide fourth spot.
