Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir has backed Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe to recover from his latest setback and play quality football again this season, describing the hamstring he injured in the WAFL on Saturday as “a little speed hump.”

Fyfe had knee surgery during the off-season and has been trying to gain match fitness in the WAFL. But he missed one week after experiencing soreness and then injured his hamstring on Saturday while playing for Peel Thunder.

Now 33 and in the final year of his contract, Fyfe’s body is struggling, but Longmuir still expects him to return and play quality football this year.

“We think so,” he said.

“He’s really confident with where his game was trending and how his body was trending. We had a really strong discussion around bringing him back in this week as well. But we knew it was going to be hot and we had other guys on managed minutes. We didn’t want to be too under done.

“He’s disappointed. He and we feel like he was building really well. He had a little hiccup last week with his knee. Now he’s had another setback. He’ll be disappointed. I hope he realises it’s a long season and there’s still plenty of footy left.

“As a coach you don’t want to see anyone get injured, let alone someone who has gone through a fair bit like him. I see it as a little speed hump. Our first thought is it is not overly serious.”

Fyfe’s injury comes at a challenging time given he is in Perth and the Dockers are travelling from their win over Richmond in South Australia to Victoria where they will spend the week before playing Melbourne at the MCG on Saturday.

Longmuir planned to spend the hour driving from the Barossa Valley to Adelaide airport speaking with Fyfe and giving him the support he needs.

But he said Fyfe will be looked after in Perth.

“He’s still got a lot of mates around to support him,” he said.

“Coaching staff got around him yesterday after he hurt the injury. They worked out the best course of action for him. He’ll have plenty of support back home.”