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Fremantle Dockers defender Luke Ryan backs skipper Nat Fyfe to star up forward against GWS Giants

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Mitchell WoodcockThe West Australian
Fremantle captain Nat Fyfe is set to return against GWS on Saturday.
Camera IconFremantle captain Nat Fyfe is set to return against GWS on Saturday. Credit: Ian Munro/The West Australian

Fremantle defender Luke Ryan has backed returning skipper Nat Fyfe to be a force up forward as the Dockers sweat on the fitness of key forwards Rory Lobb and Griffin Logue.

Fyfe will play his first game since the round 19 draw with Richmond after recovering from a hamstring injury, as Fremantle look to keep their top four hopes alive with a win over Greater Western Sydney in Canberra on Saturday.

He will likely spend most of the game as a forward, with Dockers leading goalkicker Rory Lobb (shoulder) and swingman Griffin Logue (abductor/groin) in doubt for the clash with injuries.

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Ryan backed his skipper to star and jokingly predicted him to kick a career-high bag of goals.

“I reckon Fyfey will kick six this week, if you ask me,” Ryan told 6PR.

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“I’m not too sure exactly (on the fitness of Lobb) ... we find out the team today. So I’m not sure who’s playing where or if Lobb is playing, but they’ll make the right choice for him and for our team.

“He said he was pretty sore at the moment, after games early in the week he can’t do push-ups ... I’m sure he’ll fight through it and do everything he can to get it right, 100 per cent before finals.

“I’m not sure how we’re going to manage him (Fyfe) coming back from a hammy and what he wants to do, but if he plays full forward for a whole game I reckon he’ll kick six. If he wants to spend time in the midfield then he’ll kick three and set up three.”

Fremantle forward Rory Lobb is in doubt because of a shoulder injury.
Camera IconFremantle forward Rory Lobb is in doubt because of a shoulder injury. Credit: Ian Munro/The West Australian

Ryan said the Dockers not only needed to beat the Giants to keep their top four chances alive but to keep their form up heading into the first finals campaign since 2015.

“We love playing away. We just want to keep our footy going and take some form into some finals,” he said.

Ryan said he had mixed emotions about Sunday’s all-important Collingwood-Carlton clash, with the Dockers needing the Blues to win to slip into the top four.

But Ryan was a Collingwood supporter before he was drafted to the Dockers and said he watched most of the Magpies games when he can.

“Deep down I want them to win and leave Carlton out, but at the same I want them to lose for us,” he said.

“We just got to do what we got to do and try to get the four points and whatever happens, happens.”

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