Curtailed by injury? AFL Brownlow Medallist Nat Fyfe.
Fremantle have downplayed the seriousness of Nat Fyfe's back injury, denying that the Brownlow Medallist will be sidelined for up to two months.
Seven News in Perth reported on Sunday night that the star midfielder was suffering from a bulging disk and his pre-season would be disrupted.
But the Dockers are confident Fyfe will not miss the remainder of the club's pre-season campaign and say that he is expected to be running when training resumes in early January.
It was reported that Fyfe had suffered a back injury in the last training session before the Christmas break and that scans had revealed bulging disc which would keep him sidelined for six to eight weeks, possibly ruling him out of the Dockers' first pre-season match against Richmond.
A Fremantle spokesman confirmed on Monday morning that Fyfe had suffered a back injury before Christmas and subsequently underwent treatment, but will not miss any training because of it.
"He does not require surgery and I have been advised that he will not miss six to eight weeks," the spokesman said.
This would be a relief for many Dockers fans who watched their star player endure a tough finish to 2015, which included playing with a broken leg during the side's preliminary final loss to Hawthorn.
Fyfe also missed the final two rounds of home-and-away season with fibula inflammation in his left leg, and a groin injury sidelined him for two games in August.
The bookies have been quick to respond to reports of Fyfe's latest injury, with his 2016 Brownlow odds drifting from $6 to $8. Two-time winner Gary Ablett is now the outright favourite at $6.
"Even if Fyfe recovers before round one, he will obviously now have an interrupted pre-season," said TAB's Nick Quinn.
"He is such a gun that we still have him amongst the top picks, but Ablett is now the one to beat."
