MINOR jaw surgery isn't expected to stop Fremantle forward Hayden Ballantyne from facing Geelong on Saturday night at Patersons Stadium.
Ballantyne, 26, had an operation on his jaw on Tuesday after a clash with Port Adelaide youngster Jarman Impey in Saturday's 18-point loss at Adelaide Oval.
Impey was trying to gather the ball and Ballantyne came in low in an attempt to spoilt him, and hit the right side of his jaw against the Power youngster's shoulder.
It was accidental contact between the two, who had played on each other all afternoon.
Impey, who won this round's NAB AFL Rising Star nomination for keeping the Dockers' forward goalless and to nine touches, said he had told Ballantyne to head to the bench after the fourth-quarter incident.
"I think we were both going for the ball and he ended up under me and there was a bit of a clash," Impey told AFL.com.au.
"He was a bit sore for a while and I told him to go off so I could have a rest.
"He stayed on – he wasn't too bad and played the game out."
The Dockers are optimistic Ballantyne will be available to appear alongside Matthew Pavlich this Saturday night in the captain's 300th game.
He will undergo a fitness test later in the week.
"Hayden is determined to be back out playing as soon as he can," general manager of football operations Chris Bond said.
