Brownlow medal favourite Nat Fyfe could play as a key forward this week as Fremantle assess the best way to replace injured skipper Matthew Pavlich.

Pavlich will miss Sunday’s clash with North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium because of lingering soreness in his achilles tendon.

His absence leaves the Dockers without a recognised key forward this week.

Fyfe, who recently missed two weeks with a groin injury, looked a tad sore while he completed a series of light run throughs away from the main group at training on Friday.

The 23-year-old is still expected to play against the Kangaroos, and coach Ross Lyon floated the possibility of using Fyfe as a forward.

“To get something you’ve got to give up something,” Lyon said of the prospect of taking Fyfe out of the midfield.

“But I think you can have a blend in there.

“Gavin Brown, one of the greatest wingers of all time, when Collingwood needed a centre half-forward, he went and played centre half-forward for a few years.

“That’s what great players do. They move around, they contribute to their team and they go where the team needs them.

“So if the team needs Nathan to go forward, he’ll go forward.”

Pavlich has a history of achilles tendon issues, but Lyon says he’s not overly concerned about the current issue.