FREMANTLE is bracing itself for life without Michael Walters, with coach Ross Lyon admitting the star small forward could miss the rest of the season with a left ankle injury.





Walters dislocated the tendon in his left ankle in last Friday night’s 58-point loss to Hawthorn, with scans of the injury reviewed since by a Melbourne specialist.





Fremantle received medical advice that it should wait seven to 10 days to allow for swelling in Walters' ankle to subside before having further scans, and Lyon told Channel 7 on Tuesday night that the goalsneak may miss the remainder of 2014.





"It would be unlikely he would play football again this year, although a slim chance," Lyon said.





“We’ll give it a week to settle down, and there is a slight chance that everything will fall into place and he’ll be okay, but it’s more unlikely than likely.





Walters was a revelation last season, booting 46 goals in 21 games to lead Fremantle's goalkicking as the club made its first Grand Final, and winning a nomination to the All-Australian squad.





The news on Walters continues a horror run of injuries for the Dockers, who lost Garrick Ibbotson for at least a fortnight after he dislocated his right shoulder against the Hawks.





Forward Chris Mayne suffered an ankle injury in the same game.





Fremantle also lost star midfielder Nathan Fyfe to a two-match suspension after round two.





The Dockers play Essendon at Patersons Stadium on Sunday afternoon.