The AFL season of star Fremantle midfielder Nat Fyfe hangs in the balance after the 20-year-old suffered a recurrence of his shoulder injury in Saturday’s 29-point victory over Brisbane at Patersons Stadium.
And the Lions were also dealt an injury blow, with ruckman Matthew Leuenberger damaging his Achilles tendon in the 8.16 (64) to 5.5 (35) defeat.
Fyfe’s troublesome left shoulder popped out midway through the second quarter after he landed awkwardly in a bump.
The gun on-baller, who underwent a shoulder reconstruction over the summer after suffering several dislocations last season, was clearly distressed as he sat on the bench while club doctors attended to him.
Fremantle coach Ross Lyon was hoping for good news, but said the extent of the injury wouldn’t be known until scans were conducted over the next 48 hours.
“He was just consoling himself with his family post-game a little bit, so that’s how I tend to leave it,” Lyon said.
“He’s a really important resource and person in this football club and if in analysis … he needs to be looked after and it means the season, we would tap him out.
“But if he’s able to play on with no long-term risk to him, we would then take that path.
“We’ll send him to our doctor and the best surgeons and scanners in the state. We’re quite optimistic, though.”
The Lions will also be forced to sweat on scans after Leuenberger pulled up abruptly as he attempted to chase down Fremantle’s Matt de Boer in the second quarter.
Leuenberger was forced onto crutches for the rest of the day, leaving the Lions at the mercy of Fremantle giant Aaron Sandilands, who amassed 54 hit-outs.
The Dockers’ other concern surrounded young forward Josh Mellington, who injured his hamstring late in the third quarter.
The match itself was a poor spectacle.
Both teams committed a glut of unforced errors, with the wayward Dockers failing to fully capitalise on a staggering 52-20 inside-50m advantage.
The injuries and dismal on-field performance even overshadowed the return to Perth of former Dockers coach Mark Harvey, who was controversially axed at the end of last season to accommodate the arrival of Lyon.
Lyon and Harvey kept their distance during the pre-match warm-up.
But any doubt surrounding Harvey’s standing among Fremantle fans was dispelled just before bouncedown, with the Lions assistant coach receiving a standing ovation as he walked along the boundary line.
Lyon is unlikely to receive a similar reception when he returns to Melbourne for Friday night’s clash with St Kilda.
“Everyone’s moved on – all parties are happy,” Lyon said of the upcoming match against his former club.
“I understand the interest, but I’m a professional AFL coach. I’ve got players that are hungry for leadership and direction and I take that responsibility seriously.
“We’re going to Melbourne with a view to get the points and come home.”
Brisbane forward Jonathan Brown, who was kept goalless and tallied just three possessions in his return from a facial injury, conceded he had a disappointing day against the Dockers.
“It was a pretty ordinary performance, so I’ve got to fix that up,” Brown said.
