FREMANTLE recruit Tendai Mzungu has suffered medial ligament damage in Fremantle's NAB Challenge win over West Coast, capping a horror pre-season for the injury-hit club. 
 
Mzungu injured his left knee in a marking contest halfway through the first quarter, with scans confirming damage to his medial ligament and bone bruising. 
 
The club is yet to grade the injury and coach Mark Harvey wouldn't speculate on the mature-age recruit's return. 
 
"No time frame yet, but it's not an ACL, which is important," Harvey said after the nine-point win, Fremantle's first of the pre-season. 
 
"You tend to think it's always the worst scenario (as a coach), I guess in this case it' a lot better than it could have been.
 
He's a playmaker, he'd had a really good build-up and he was right in the firing line [for round one].
 
"Once again we're just going to have to make sure that we can replace these guys until they get back. It gives someone else a chance."
 
Mzungu has been a prolific ball-winner throughout Fremantle's pre-season campaign and he made a bright start to the side's last practice match.
 
The 25-year-old appeared destined to earn his AFL debut against the Brisbane Lions in round one, stepping into the half-back role vacated by the injured Roger Hayden.
 
Fremantle will be without up to six players from its best line-up in round one, with Hayden (foot), Michael Barlow (leg), Garrick Ibbotson (ankle), Matt de Boer (hamstring) and Anthony Morabito (knee) also missing.
 
Harvey experimented with key defender Alex Silvagni in a back-up ruck role on Saturday, with Jon Griffin and Zac Clarke both missing through niggling injuries. The coach said both would be available for round one.