FREMANTLE will keep a close-eye on off-the-ball treatment of superstar Nat Fyfe after Geelong targeted the Dockers skipper in round one, coach Ross Lyon says.

While Lyon didn't believe the Cats' physicality was untoward, Fyfe was repeatedly checked around stoppages as Geelong tried to restrict his influential combination with Aaron Sandilands.

"I thought it was reasonable (Geelong's tactics), but I can guarantee … if the umpires don't look after him we will," Lyon said.

"That's on our agenda, but I thought Geelong did that pretty well. That's what disciplined teams do, they take away your strengths a little bit. 

Match preview: Port Adelaide v Fremantle

"We're not playing Scotch, we're playing hard-nosed AFL teams. That's the business, it's the fiercest competition in Australia.

"There's nothing wrong with that, but you need to look after your own.

Forwards Michael Walters and Cam McCarthy copped melee fines from last Sunday's game after stepping in when Cats defenders Tom Ruggles and Andrew Mackie roughed up Fyfe while he was face-down on the ground in the second term.

"Sometimes there's a line that's crossed. I thought we flew the flag and looked after Nathan – and we'll continue to do that."

Lyon declared there won't be wholesale changes to Freo's side after the disappointing 42-point defeat, and all-but guaranteed under-fire forward Shane Kersten would hold his spot.

"You can’t head down to Hay Street and buy confidence can you. There’s no confidence shop, confidence is out in the track so he’ll work hard, we’ve got faith in him," he said.

Tall forward Matt Taberner (five goals) was among several Dockers to impress in Peel's big win over East Fremantle last weekend, with Harley Balic (33 disposals, one goal) pushing hard for a debut and Ethan Hughes sticking his hand up.

Taberner took seven marks for the Thunder and also won five hit-outs, and the 199cm big man is being encouraged to improve his ruck craft to earn a position in the senior team.

"He's really mobile but it’s a tough contest the ruck, you need to embrace it and he’s sort of getting his head around that," Lyon said.

"If you can add that string to his bow it’s going to be easier to pick him rather than to be judged as a specialist forward."

Meanwhile, Lyon lauded Harley Bennell after a painstaking build-up from his latest calf setback in November, comparing his fitness to defender Lee Spurr and Kersten coming off injury-interrupted pre-seasons.

Bennell was on track to rejoin parts of main training this week but has been backed off after receiving treatment for calf soreness at Fremantle Hospital.

"He's built his calves up to be able to punch out the strongest in the club with the exercises he's done with the weights," Lyon said.

"For someone that's worked that hard you've got to push them and they're still in the shadows of that hard work.

"It's a real balancing act and obviously we did it maybe a bit too much with him where he was just sore and we all get a bit spooked and he gets some treatment.

"It's put him two days behind and then away he goes. It won't change the plan they've mapped out for him."