Fremantle midfielder Michael Barlow is confident ruckman Jonathon Griffin will be able to adequately fill the shoes of injured big man Aaron Sandilands.

The Dockers’ finals hopes were dealt a major blow on Monday when it was confirmed Sandilands would need to spend about 10 weeks on the sidelines due to a “turf toe” injury.

The three-times All-Australian suffered the same soft tissue injury of the toes last season, but this time it has occurred on his opposite foot.

Griffin has been starved of opportunities since arriving at Fremantle last year, with the 26-year-old being selected just twice in games where Sandilands has also played.

But with Sandilands out of action again, Barlow said the club had full faith Griffin would lead the ruck division well.

“Jon Griffin was able to carry the load on Saturday and he’s actually been in really good form and is probably just a little bit of a victim of circumstance through the year,” Barlow said on Tuesday.

“He’s been under the pump with selection and the right balance of our midfield.

“When he’s in, he’s been going really well and I think the weekend really illustrates that.

“He’s as good as any in the competition when he’s up and going.”

The 10th-placed Dockers are precariously-placed at 6-5, and face tricky matches against Essendon (home) and Collingwood (MCG) following this week’s bye.

Defender Zac Dawson will miss the clash with Essendon due to a knee injury, while feisty forward Hayden Ballantyne will be another notable absentee after copping his second suspension of the year for an elbow to the stomach of Richmond’s Chris Newman.

“Ross (Lyon) did pull him up after the first incident earlier in the year and he’s gone some way to rectifying those kinds of habits and little antics he does get up to,” Barlow said of Ballantyne.

“With those actions he’s probably letting himself down, but there is a reason why he’s in the leadership group and that’s because the club really values him.

“We voted him (in there) for a reason and we’re right behind him.”