FREMANTLE recruit Adam McPhee faces a fight to be fit for Sunday's anticipated round-two clash with Essendon.

Coach Mark Harvey said he expected the former Bomber to be available, but he still needed to prove he had overcome an ankle injury sustained early in the NAB Cup competition.

McPhee returned to Fremantle via last year's NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft, leaving Essendon without compensation after seven years and 142 games.

Harvey said McPhee was keen to play this week.

"He's got a passion for the game, a passion for his new team and it's not representative of who we play this week, he just wants to play," Harvey said from Fremantle Oval on Wednesday.

"He's progressing well. I expect him to train tomorrow and be available for selection.

"That's the unknown quantity at the moment with his injury, but we expect him to train and push strongly."

Harvey put McPhee's underwhelming pre-season and round-one performance down to three separate flare-ups with his troublesome ankle that was first injured against Melbourne in the opening match of the NAB Cup.

"He has had a niggle over the last six weeks that hasn't helped him," Harvey said.

"He's had three bouts of this ankle issue that he's got at the moment.

"I'm not making an excuse for whether you perceive he's playing well or not, but he just needs a good run at it.

"He adds a lot from a balance point of view to our side at the moment."

Harvey said Fremantle trained on Wednesday as if it had lost its season opener, in an attempt to block out the hype surrounding the side's stunning 56-point win over Adelaide.

"There can be hype and you've got to make sure your players are on the ground," he said.

Aside from McPhee, Fremantle had no other injury concerns out of the game, but Harvey said Steven Dodd and Byron Schammer would still be considered after positive WAFL performances.

Kepler Bradley and Zac Clarke will also come under notice as support ruck options after Aaron Sandilands played 96 per cent of Sunday's win.

"There's a lot of planning and strategy that goes into Aaron, and we're aware of that," Harvey said, with Patrick Ryder and David Hille looming as Sandilands' opponents this week.

"At any given time we'll play two ruckmen, genuine ruckmen.

"You don't necessarily do it because of the opposition. Sometimes you do. We'll wait and see."