FREMANTLE’s Paul Duffield appears set to spend some time on the sidelines after a report emerged that he dislocated a rib during last Thursday night's NAB Challenge win over Melbourne.



On Wednesday, the defender was absent from training.

He suffered the injury while laying a tackle in the last quarter against the Demons and he was helped from the field in obvious pain.



After the match, the club was unsure of the extent of the injury but coach Ross Lyon suggested it was a rib problem.



The West Australian reported on Tuesday that scans revealed Duffield had dislocated a rib and that he could spend six weeks on the sidelines.



A dislocated rib is an uncommon injury and there are varying recovery timeframes depending on the severity.



The club is yet to confirm the extent of Duffield's injury.



Michael Barlow was also subbed out of the match against Melbourne in the final quarter after injuring his right ankle.

Barlow did not appear on the training track at all on Wednesday.



David Mundy also had ice applied to his left ankle in the final quarter last week but he trained without any issue on Wednesday.



The Dockers have some key players set to return for the NAB Challenge clash against the Sydney Swans at Drummoyne Oval in Sydney on Sunday.



Star midfielder Nat Fyfe is raring to go after recovering from a minor hamstring injury.



Aaron Sandilands has been managed over the past couple of weeks but he trained strongly on Wednesday.



Garrick Ibbotson also trained fully after missing the clash against Melbourne.



Ryan Crowley and Danyle Pearce may miss again after both were restricted to running laps away from the main group on Wednesday.



Lyon confirmed last Thursday that Pearce would not play against the Swans but he was unsure about Crowley's availability.



Developing key forward Matt Taberner also did not train at all on Wednesday after kicking three goals in an impressive display against the Demons.