FREMANTLE'S nightmare start to the season has gone from bad to worse with injury-plagued star Harley Bennell suffering another calf setback.
The 24-year-old injured his left calf at training on Tuesday and subsequent scans have confirmed a minor tear.
The injury is to the same calf that Bennell hurt in November, which saw him sent to Germany for specialist treatment.
Bennell missed all of last season due to issues with his right calf, which scuppered his debut campaign at Freo after being traded from Gold Coast.
His latest setback comes a week after Bennell received treatment – including an injection - at Fremantle Hospital when he pulled up sore from an increased training workload.
Bennell's build towards playing again has been painstaking since his return from Germany and he was set to join in main training drills this week.
Coach Ross Lyon has had him earmarked for a role in attack and pinch-hitting onball in a similar vein to Hawthorn superstar Cyril Rioli, although he has previously stated Bennell's eventual return will be via the WAFL.
The club expects Bennell's latest blow will only set him back one or two weeks.
