Brisbane could breathe a sigh of relief after Fremantle captain Nat Fife decided to return through the WAFL this weekend.
Fyfe have not played a competitive match since undergoing shoulder and back surgery in the off-season and were on their way back against the Lions in Sunday’s AFL clash at Optus Stadium.
The Dockers (8-3) are in third place after their stunning 38-point win over Melbourne in the MCG.
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The temptation for Fife to return against the Lions was big, but the two-time Brownlow medalist feels he will serve well for both himself and the team if he hits the WAFL first.
This means that Fyfe will have its first WAFL match since 2010 for the Peel Thunder against Subiako at the Leaderville Oval on Saturday.
“It was his idea, to be honest, he knows his body better than anyone and he knows his confidence,” Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir told the Seven Network.
“He thinks it’s the right move for him to get a big crack in the second half of the year, so we just listened to him.”
Debate continues over whether Fyfe will return to the AFL level as a full-time midfielder or move his time forward.
Longmuir was adamant about what role Fife would play for Peel Thunder.
“We’ll play him for about 90 minutes, which is a good development for him,” said Longmuir.
“I probably won’t say much about what position he will play in, but he will play a role that will allow him to adapt to the AFL.
“I think it’s really important for him to go back and get some confidence, not just in his body, but in his game.
“I think it’s a good move to come back to the AFL and I said we want to make sure we build him in the right way so that he can make a real impact in the AFL in the second half of the season. We think it works best. “
If all goes well, Fyfe will return to Optus Stadium for next week’s clash with Hawthorn.
“If he feels really confident and he thinks he has adapted really well and taken hits and his fitness is at a good level, then we will be guided by him next week,” said Longmuir.