FREMANTLE coach Ross Lyon has full faith in Luke McPharlin's body despite the veteran defender's ongoing injury issues.
McPharlin sat on the bench with a tight calf for the entire last quarter of the Dockers' round 18 loss to St Kilda and scans later cleared the 32-year-old of injury.
Despite McPharlin also missing Fremantle's round 17 win over Greater Western Sydney with a calf issue, Lyon said his benching against St Kilda was precautionary and he was confident the defender would play this Thursday against Carlton.
"We're really confident he'll play," Lyon said.
"His scan was all clear. He was just a bit tight. We were getting smacked so it was a bit of a pointless exercise. He trained yesterday. We're planning for him to train well and play well."
McPharlin has played just four matches in the past 10 rounds. He missed three matches after straining his medial ligament in round 12 against Adelaide, and prior to that he missed two weeks with a quad issue.
In 2013, he missed eight weeks in the lead-up to the finals with a torn calf but still played in all three finals. He also missed the Dockers' two finals in his All Australian year of 2012 with a hamstring injury.
McPharlin comes out of contract at season's end and is yet to make a decision on his future.
Lyon said he had no doubts that the veteran defender would deliver for him in the back end of this season.
"I've got full faith in Luke," Lyon said.
"I believe in Luke. Those that don't - well that's fair enough, you're entitled to your own opinion. But I believe in Luke.
"He's always returned in magnificent condition. He does all the training. We're confident with him training. Confidence comes from action, so he'll feel good about himself."
Lyon suggested the Dockers could make up to six changes from the side that was belted by the Saints a fortnight ago.
Aaron Sandilands, Hayden Ballantyne and Stephen Hill are certainties to return, while Garrick Ibbotson will be touch and go to come back from a calf injury that forced him to miss the last two matches. Tom Sheridan, Hayden Crozier and Alex Silvagni will all come into consideration to face the Blues.
One man who definitely won't play is Michael Walters but the coach said the forward would be a chance to return the following week.
"He's training well so he's progressing but he's got probably a couple of weeks," Lyon said.
Lyon said his side had reviewed the loss to St Kilda and moved on. He believed the work rate of the Dockers was simply not up to standard and he was expecting his team to bounce back quickly.
He was reluctant to single out any players who could face the axe but he acknowledged the performances of Colin Sylvia and Anthony Morabito, who combined for just 11 possessions against the Saints, would be discussed.
"It's really unfair to single out individuals," Lyon said.
"We'll have match committee. Clearly those two players will be under pressure you would think."
