Dockers sweat on Hill injury update in AFL

Fremantle are sweating on a diagnosis of Stephen Hill with the midfielder tweaking his adductor in Launceston.

Hill hobbled off the field during the third quarter and played no further part in Saturday's AFL contest, which Hawthorn won by 41 points.

The Dockers, without a win after eight rounds and next facing Richmond at home, can scarcely afford to lose the speedster for any length of time.

Reigning Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe will play no further part this season because of a fractured fibula, while veterans Aaron Sandilands and Michael Johnson are also on a long injury list.

"I think it's an adductor," coach Ross Lyon said of Hill.

"It didn't look good. It looked like a calf or a hammy ... when he was coming off.

"Hopefully, he'll come up but I'm not too sure."

Hill has been one of many players given a new role in the side during the Dockers' miserable start to the season.

Lyon has made no secret of his decision to look beyond 2016 and try different things.

"He (Hill) is really growing inside. We know he's a top-flight winger but we're giving him an opportunity inside.

"He's enjoying it and we're enjoying it."

Lyon also suggested he would persist with skipper David Mundy's shift to defence.

"We want to build a younger midfield. We'll throw him in (the middle), like we did in the last quarter, at different times.

"We want him to become an All-Australian sort of third tall defender."

Lyon noted despite the club's focus on youth, he didn't want to gift anybody games.

"We want to keep our integrity at selection," he said.

"If you just churn people out who are giving great effort and bring people in who aren't, that means morale can drop."

Matthew Pavlich will return against the Tigers, having been rested in round eight, while Tom Sheridan should be available after missing the clash with Hawthorn because of illness.