Fremantle coach Ross Lyon admits his team’s chances of upsetting Geelong on Saturday night have been made more difficult following injuries to key midfield duo Michael Barlow and David Mundy.

Barlow was ruled out after undergoing jaw surgery on Monday, while Mundy failed to recover from a calf complaint that forced him to miss last week’s 38-point win over North Melbourne.

The double injury blow has opened the door for 19-year-old Tom Sheridan to play just his second AFL game for the club, and first this year.

Mundy and Barlow have been in scintillating form this season, helping Fremantle surge into third spot on the table on the back of nine wins and a draw from 12 rounds.

Lyon admitted the loss of the key pair was a bitter blow, but backed the likes of Paul Duffield, Garrick Ibbotson, Matt de Boer, Hayden Ballantyne, Michael Walters, Sheridan and Nick Suban to fill the midfield void.

“It becomes incrementally harder (without Mundy and Barlow) but we’ve shown great capacity to lift up and everyone accepts challenges given to them,” Lyon said on Thursday.

“That’s made us a more versatile team. We know we’ve got a lot more through the midfield now.

“Geelong are a physical team. They hunt opposition players and they protect their own. So we welcome it, and it’s going to be difficult.”

The Cats will be without suspended star Steve Johnson, who copped a two-week ban for his high bump on Brisbane’s Pearce Hanley.

Fremantle will leapfrog Geelong into second spot if they can snare victory at Simonds Stadium.

The Dockers have only tasted one victory in 12 attempts at Geelong’s traditional home ground, but have become an “anywhere, anytime” team under Lyon.

Geelong will have plenty of motivation this week after coughing up a 52-point lead in last Sunday’s loss to Brisbane.

The Cats are also eager to atone for last year’s elimination final loss to Fremantle.