Fremantle coach Ross Lyon is hopeful skipper Matthew Pavlich will be fit to tackle Geelong next week, but the news isn't so good for utility Tendai Mzungu.
Pavlich was subbed out of Thursday night's five-point win over Carlton with concussion after copping an accidental elbow to the face early in the second quarter.
The knock came just 12 days after Pavlich suffered a heavy hit to the head in his team's shock loss to St Kilda in Melbourne.
Lyon says he won't take any risks with the 32-year-old, but hopes the club's games record holder will be cleared to take on Geelong at Skilled Stadium on Saturday week.
"We've got strict protocols in place," Lyon said.
"He'll either be healthy to play or he won't be, and I never get involved.
"So really I'm like you guys - sitting in the theatre waiting for the outcome.
"But obviously we would like him to play if he could."
Mzungu will miss the Cats clash after injuring his left hamstring during the second quarter against Carlton.
With Pavlich already subbed out of the game, Mzungu spent the third quarter pedalling on an exercise bike just in case he was needed again.
Mzungu was sent back out onto the field in the final quarter to give a teammate a breather, but he was clearly hampered and was ordered back to the bench after a couple of minutes.
Lyon said Mzungu had suffered a low grade hamstring strain and wouldn't be risked against Geelong.
Fremantle's win over Carlton kept them in touch with competition pacesetters Sydney, Hawthorn and Geelong.
But Lyon has been less than pleased with his team's form over the past fortnight during a period that included a shock 58-point loss to St Kilda.
"Clearly we've got plenty of work to do. That footy is going to take us nowhere," Lyon said.
"We've been very good over the course of the year, but it's a long year, you're going to have some bad nights.
"Everyone ebbs and flows.
"We need to improve, and that was the message to the players after the game.
"We need to get back to our very best football."
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