Fremantle coach Ross Lyon says there is no point dwelling on star players the Dockers are missing as they try to rebound from Sunday’s AFL loss to Richmond.

Fremantle were missing captain Matthew Pavlich (suspension), fellow forward Hayden Ballantyne (hamstring), key defender Luke McPharlin (calf), midfielder Nick Suban (calf) and ruckman Aaron Sandilands for Sunday’s 12.12 (84) to 8.9 (57) MCG loss to Richmond.

The defeat dented the fifth-placed Dockers’ top-four hopes, although they are still well in the hunt, particularly with a favourable draw over the last six rounds.

Their highest-placed remaining opponent is eighth-placed Port Adelaide.

Asked how much the absence of missing stars hurt against the Tigers, Lyon said they still had their chances, but let themselves down with missed opportunities entering attack.

And he said a midfield unit that still contained most of the Dockers’ top-liners was clearly beaten by the Tigers, particularly in the clearances, in which he said Richmond was the AFL’s No.1 side.

“They pantsed us around the stoppages,” Lyon said.

Of the Dockers’ struggle for goals, he said Pavlich and Ballantyne would have been handy, but that wasn’t the key issue.

“Clearly you’d prefer them there but you’ve got to find a way,” Lyon said.

“But again, often you score if you can clear the ball or create some turnovers so we were probably average at both today.”

And he said with Pavlich still having two games of his ban to serve and Ballantyne and McPharlin still also several weeks from returning, Fremantle had to manage without them.

“We haven’t got too much to return over the next few weeks,” he said.

“I think Aaron will come back next week, Nick Suban.

“But other than that, those other guys are longer term.”