FREMANTLE's injury-ravaged season has continued after Hayden Ballantyne possibly fractured his cheekbone and Michael Barlow damaged his left AC joint in the Dockers' 17-point loss to Geelong on Friday night.
The Dockers injury list already features Nat Fyfe, Aaron Sandilands, Michael Johnson, Alex Pearce and Harley Bennell and is set to grow even longer.
Ballantyne laid a heavy tackle on Corey Enright in the second quarter but copped an elbow to the cheekbone in the process, despite winning a holding the ball decision.
He played out the game with a black eye that was half-closed over but Dockers coach Ross Lyon revealed post-match that he might have done some serious damage.
WATCH: Ross Lyon's full post-match media conference
"Hayden seems to have a fractured cheekbone," Lyon said
"Really courageous as he is, but we're at a point where we'd really like to look after him."
Ballantyne has previously broken his jaw in an eerily similar incident. He missed the 2014 semi-final against Port Adelaide after fracturing his jaw while tackling Ted Richards in a qualifying final against the Sydney Swans at ANZ Stadium the week before.
Barlow's wretched luck with injury continued after he had just returned from a fractured finger that kept him out of last week's loss to Melbourne.
He had 17 disposals to half-time against the Cats but copped a heavy hip-and-shoulder from Lincoln McCarthy at the start of the third term. He left the ground immediately unable to shake the pain in his left shoulder. He had ice applied to the shoulder and did not return.
Lyon said he was not confident that Barlow would recover for next week's clash with Gold Coast but he was unsure about how many games he could miss.
Five talking points: Fremantle v Geelong
"He's hurt his AC joint and they couldn't settle it down," Lyon said.
"Normally they can settle them. So I'm not sure about next week, probably unlikely.
"I think it's more on the severe end."
The Dockers had their chances to beat the Cats. They led at quarter-time and got within four points in the last quarter having had chances to claim the lead.
Despite the injury issues and a tough draw to finish the season Lyon said there was plenty to look forward to.
"We are fighting and we want to continue that fight," Lyon said.
"I have plenty of optimism about the future. Coaches sell hope. There's no limits on us. We've certainly got some challenges but we would like to give that effort.
"It was a step forward."
The Dockers face the Suns next week at Metricon Stadium and Lyon has previously stated that veteran Matthew Pavlich won't travel for that game. The potential losses of Ballantyne and Barlow are unlikely to force a re-think, meaning that barring injury, Pavlich will play his 350th match against the Sydney Swans at Domain Stadium in round 19.
Hayden Ballantyne was not looking at his best at the end of Friday's game. Picture: AFL Media
