Fremantle coach Ross Lyon has declared injured star Nat Fyfe a definite starter for the Dockers’ 2019 AFL season-opener against North Melbourne.
Fyfe has not played since undergoing elbow surgery to repair damage sustained during the AFLX tournament in late February.
Lyon revealed the 27-year-old will miss Sunday’s final JLT Community Series clash against West Coast.
But the coach insists the skipper will be ready for the Round 1 clash against the Kangaroos at Optus Stadium On March 24.
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He added Fyfe, a veteran of 153 senior appearances, would have been right to play this weekend if it was a regular-season fixture.
“The recommendation from the surgeon was for Nathan not to play (against the Eagles),” Lyon told reporters.
“He’ll be training (on Friday), he will just be on no contact.
“His history is that he can perform really well. He’s had a big summer, he played AFLX and he’ll be good to go.
“He’ll definitely play round one. If it was round one (this weekend), he’d be playing.”
Lyon shot down concerns Fyfe could be underdone in Round 1 after missing the Dockers’ two JLT clashes.
“We counted AFLX as a hit-out,” he said.
“I read (Patrick) Dangerfield’s comment that you couldn’t even celebrate a goal as it was that quick and intense.
“That was a really good hit-out, probably more intense than the intra-club that we played so we feel that he’s had one (pre-season game).”
