Fremantle will need to dig even deeper into their reserves over the next month with midfielder Michael Barlow becoming the latest player to be cut down by injury.
Barlow is set to miss the next three to four weeks after undergoing surgery to repair the finger he fractured in last Friday’s loss to Collingwood.
The 28-year-old has starred for the Dockers as a tagger over the past month, and his absence will leave a massive void in a team already missing fellow stars Nat Fyfe, Aaron Sandilands, Michael Johnson and Harley Bennell.
“I knew it was sore, but I was hoping it was just a jarred finger,” Barlow told the Nine Network.
“The diagnosis is roughly four weeks. Hopefully, I can get back a bit quicker.”
In an added blow to the Dockers, Clancee Pearce is expected to miss the next three weeks after injuring his ankle in the WAFL, bringing the club’s injury toll to 19 players.
The Dockers have a bye this weekend, before taking on Melbourne on July 9 in Darwin.
Fremantle started the season as one of the premiership favourites, but sit in 15th spot with a 3-11 record.