FREMANTLE'S injury crisis could be softened this week by the return of goalsneak Hayden Ballantyne, but coach Mark Harvey concedes he only has 25 players to realistically pick a team from.
 
Ballantyne, who missed last Sunday's Western Derby with a hamstring injury, could return for Saturday's clash against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium after training strongly at Patersons Stadium on Wednesday night.
 
Harvey said mature-age recruit Tendai Mzungu and dropped midfielder Rhys Palmer were also in contention this week as the club battles through the worst injury crisis of the coach's four-year tenure.
 
Ballantyne trained with the main group for the first 30 minutes of Wednesday night's session and moved freely, and Harvey said the 23-year-old was not battling a typical hamstring injury.
 
"It's more fibre related," he said. "We wanted him to play last week - he's a big part of our make-up."
 
Mzungu, 25, starred for Fremantle in the pre-season, but he is yet to play since injuring his left knee in a NAB Challenge clash with West Coast in March.
 
With Adam McPhee (knee) this week added to the longest injury list in the AFL, Harvey said playing Mzungu was a risk the club might have to take against Port.
 
"He's been out for a period of time, but that's who we're looking at," the coach said. "It is a massive punt, but a little bit of that's forced upon us.
 
"There's about seven guys [in contention] for our bench."
 
Ruckman Jon Griffin, who is yet to debut for Fremantle since being recruited from Adelaide last November, is also being considered this week after a continued run of WAFL form.
 
It is Palmer, however, who made the strongest case for senior selection at the weekend, winning 24 possessions and kicking three goals in a best-on-ground performance for East Fremantle.
 
Harvey said the fourth-year midfielder had responded perfectly after being dropped for the Western Derby.
 
"We all go through our highs and lows, it's how you respond when you're going through a period where it's not all going your way," he said. 
 
"Rhys is a fighter, he's fighting his way through and the way he played last week was terrific.
 
"He has to (move back into the midfield), but he's going to have to fight to get back in."
 
Fremantle, which also lost first-year midfielder Viv Michie to a foot injury this week, has 14 players on its injury list, including at least seven of its nominal best 22 players.  

Midfielder Michael Barlow is still listed as four to five weeks away from returning, but he also trained with the main group for the opening 30 minutes of Wednesday night's session.
 
Harvey said the injuries and a two-week form slump had not dented the group's confidence this week.
 
"Our form over the last two weeks hasn't been where we would have liked, (but) you only have to remember three or four weeks ago … we were really pushing the top sides," he said. "Morale is still really good."
 
Nathan Schmook covers Fremantle news for afl.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_NSchmook