Fremantle coach Ross Lyon says the Dockers may have overworked recruit Harley Bennell earlier in the season, as they tried to fast-track his return from calf issues.
Bennell hasn't played for the Dockers since moving to Perth at the end of the 2015 season from the Gold Coast, and has also struggled with several off-field issues.
The midfielder was sent to Germany last December to receive treatment on his troublesome calves from soft tissue specialist Dr Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt.
Bennell is a chance to return to the WAFL this weekend for his first match of the year, and could push for his Fremantle debut later next month if he stays fit.
"We probably pushed Harley beyond what he needed to be pushed - trying to create something like Superman really," Lyon said.
"He was 40 per cent above our cohort average on leg strength on calf strength. And coming to the club he was probably the weakest. So that gives you context of how hard he worked and how hard we pushed him.
"But in hindsight, could we have backed it off earlier? Did we need to take him to that level? We were trying to build something really strong and sustainable.
"But he's such a quality athlete. Did we need to take him to that? That's probably the debate. In theory, he probably could have been playing [by now]."
While the 24-year-old won't be available for senior selection this weekend, the Dockers are expecting to get captain Nat Fyfe and ruckman Aaron Sandilands back for their crucial clash with St Kilda on Sunday.
