A NUMBER of Fremantle's big guns will return for Saturday's bushfire derby as coach Mark Harvey starts moulding his side for round one.

Aaron Sandilands, David Mundy and caretaker captain Michael Johnson were all rested for last week's 97-point loss to North Melbourne but will return for the side's NAB Challenge match with West Coast.

Hayden Ballantyne (wrist) and Des Headland (calf) will continue their rehab with a view to round one, while Luke McPharlin, Garrick Ibbotson and Chris Mayne will also miss.

Harvey said he would field his best possible side after playing seven debutants against the Kangaroos.

"From an availability point of view, we'll probably try and play somewhere near 26 to 28 [players] that will be in line for selection – barring injury – for round one. That's what we're trying to achieve [this week]," he said.

"When you get somewhere near the side that you're after – and in the next two weeks we'll be doing that – that's when you get some sort of direction.

"(But) a lot of clubs aren't playing their hand at this particular stage."

Harvey said he would still look to play as many as five or six first year players following the heavy loss at Manuka Oval.

The coach said it was a steep learning curve for Nic Suban, Tim Ruffles, Zac Clarke, Michael Walters, Casey Sibosado and Hamish Shepheard – who all played their first game for the club since being drafted at the end of last year.

"It's a big hit-out for the guys to go to Canberra, when there's seven of them in their first game, to go and travel and play under that regime is quite difficult," Harvey said.

"And not to be surrounded by too many experienced players can also have an affect on the group.

"It was a big learning curve for the group, and particularly the younger guys, and that was the idea behind it."

Johnson will captain the side this Saturday as part of Fremantle's rotating leadership through the pre-season, and Harvey said it was proving to be a positive initiative.

"That's how you enhance people and players and make them understand the responsibilities," he said.

"It's a reflection of a young group and us needing to get players to come to the fore in behind Matthew (Pavlich) and really understand what leadership is all about."

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