NAT Fyfe looks to have escaped serious damage to the right shoulder he injured in the dying stages of Tuesday's International Rules practice match in Sydney.
But the gun Fremantle midfielder will sit out Saturday's Test against Ireland at Patersons Stadium as a precaution.
The injury happened when Fyfe was diving for a mark late in the game against a New South Wales Gaelic team in western Sydney.
He hurt his right shoulder, which is classified as his "good" one given the two operations he has previously needed on his left side.
Fyfe was due to participate in his first International Rules campaign, and in front of his home crowd in Perth.
But Australian team management and medical staff decided it was not worth risking any player on the eve of the pre-season.
In 2010, then-Geelong forward Travis Varcoe missed three months of pre-season after needing surgery on the shoulder he injured in a practice match in Ireland while on the International Rules tour.