Fremantle coach Ross Lyon has ruled out the prospect of recalling injured midfielder Michael Barlow for Saturday's top-four showdown with Port Adelaide at Patersons Stadium.
The Dockers will enter the battle for a top-four finish without star midfielder Nat Fyfe (suspended) and defender Luke McPharlin (calf), while skipper Matthew Pavlich is in doubt with a tight quad.
Barlow isn't expected to return until the first week of the AFL finals after breaking his thumb against Hawthorn in round 21.
The 26-year-old was holding out hope of returning this week, but Lyon poured cold water on the idea.
"I wouldn't have thought so," Lyon said.
Pavlich, who was a late withdrawal from last week's 58-point win over the Lions, is yet to be given the green light to take on Port Adelaide.
The 310-game veteran was listed as a "test" when Fremantle released its injury list on Tuesday afternoon.
"He's going to need to go through the week, tick his KPIs off and get through," Lyon told Perth radio station 6PR.
"But you'd have to say he's in some doubt based on the weekend."
The winner of Saturday's match will finish fourth and earn a double finals chance.
The loser will finish fifth and be thrust into a sudden-death elimination final.
Under the current finals format, no team has won the flag from outside the top four.
Lyon said the pressure and high-stakes nature of his team's clash with Port Adelaide should be embraced rather than shunned.
"I'm happy to take the anxiety and stress, because if you don't take that, you're sneaking around in the bottom reaches of the ladder," Lyon said.
"It's good to be in control of our own destiny.
"If you're going to be any good, you've got to beat the best. Port are No.2 in attack and No.3 in defence.
"They're an elite team. They're up and about and they pose a significant challenge.
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