St Kilda coach Alan Richardson has left the door ever-so-slightly ajar for veteran defender Sam Fisher to continue his AFL career next season.
The 34-year-old faces an uphill battle to throw off a hamstring injury suffered against Sydney last week to play in the final round of the season.
But Richardson said it would be wrong to assume Fisher is fighting to get back for a farewell game.
"It wasn't a severe hamstring, it was a bit of a hamstring, so there is a chance that he'll play," Richardson said.
"And there's a fair chance we'll read into that that it's his last game - that's not necessarily the case.
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"It may be that at the end of the year that with someone like Fish that's at his age, that's had a bit of recent injury history, we sit down and talk about what next year looks like, but we'll have to wait and see next week."
His coach's words will be of some comfort to Fisher but the 227-game veteran will still know he faces a tough battle to return next season.
St Kilda will gain access to two more key defenders next season when prized recruit Jake Carlisle finishes his anti-doping ban end and Hugh Goddard overcomes an Achilles tendon injury.
