Fremantle will bunker down and wait for club medical opinion on star player Nat Fyfe as their midfield problems mount ahead of the Dockers' grudge derby with West Coast.
Coach Ross Lyon couldn't shed any light on the prospects of captain Fyfe playing in Saturday night's match after the 2015 Brownlow Medallist copped a big hit in Sunday's win over St Kilda.
That blow had Fyfe showing concussion symptoms, leaving him in doubt for the Optus Stadium clash.
Lyon said Fyfe had indicated he was feeling better but he'd yet to go through the protocol tests with the team's medicos to clear him for the match.
"He texted me just to say g'day and that he was progressing pretty well," Lyon said.
"There has been huge focus on Nathan with his concussion and there's clearly mandated processes and protocols to step through, and our medical team are all over that.
"I spoke to him after the game twice and he was in pretty good spirits really. Yesterday was the players day off and he slept well, and felt pretty good but really you need to be symptom-free and undergo the tests and pass them.
"As we jump through those hoops we'll know more then but that's basically all I've got right now."
Fremantle's midfield is already without Lachie Neale, who departed over summer for Brisbane while Connor Blakely and Stephen Hill are sidelined through injury.
Fyfe's absence would be a savage blow but Lyon said he'll back someone to step up if need be.
"We put Reece Conca through there, Andy Brayshaw was in a different role on the weekend but can go back in," Lyon said.
"Mitch Crowden played really well in the WAFL and so did (Stefan) Giro. It is next man in but we also understand that he's our captain."
Lyon refused to be drawn on calls for the AFL to mandate 19-day breaks automatically for any concussions because he said he'd yet to hear the debate about the issue.
