FREMANTLE midfielder Nat Fyfe has suffered another injury setback with a calf strain to sideline the veteran for up to a month.
Fyfe felt the injury as he warmed up at half-time of the Dockers’ win over St Kilda on Sunday.
The two-time Brownlow medallist was the substitute for Freo but was unused after the setback.
“Obviously frustrating for Nat after he was able to get some continuity with his body in the last month,” Fremantle executive general manager of football Joe Brierty said.
“He will now commence an offloading and reconditioning period and our performance health team will set the program with Nat to return to football in the next few weeks.”
Before Sunday, Fyfe, 33, had played just three games this year and was either substituted on or off in each of them.
Impressive final-quarter performances against Greater Western Sydney and Gold Coast generated confidence that the champion midfielder was building form at the right time.
He started his first game for the season against Essendon in round 15 but had his game time managed, with Sunday’s setback coming after a 10-day break.
Fyfe had been targeting a role in the Dockers’ forward-midfield rotation, with heavy competition for spots building in the club’s engine room.
That task will be made more difficult by the return of Hayden Young inside the next month, while Jaeger O’Meara is pushing to play this week after experiencing some hamstring tightness.
Fyfe bypassed the WAFL in his most recent return to the senior team but would most likely be required to build his form and fitness via the state league if he is to break back into the team before finals.
Fittingly, young onballer Neil Erasmus has benefited from Fyfe’s tutelage this season and has stepped up in recent weeks, playing the past seven matches as a midfielder who is capable of rotating forward or playing a run-with role.
The Dockers are on a six-match winning streak and sit sixth on the ladder ahead of a trip to face Sydney on Sunday.
