Fremantle ruckman Aaron Sandilands did little at training on Thursday to suggest he's anywhere near right to take on the Cats in Friday night's semi final at the MCG.
But the club is confident that Sandilands won't be unduly hampered by the knee injury he sustained in a centre-bounce clash with Hawk Wayde Skipper at Subiaco last Saturday.
"We're pretty confident that he'll be right to go and right to play," said Dockers assistant coach Todd Curley ahead of the team's 30-minute session at the MCG.
"He was obviously a little bit sore last week towards the end of the game and there was a little bit of fluid (on his knee) early in the week but he's been working overtime, spending a lot of time at the club getting treatment."
"We're really confident that he'll play and have a really good impact."
Sandilands, who's been cleared by scans of structural damage, trained away from the main group with his left knee heavily strapped.
His work was confined to 20 minutes of handball drills after which he retired to the boundary line to sign autographs for the 150 or so Dockers fans, including world champion boxer Danny Green, who'd come to watch training.
Asked whether Sandilands would take the centre bounces against the Cats, Curley said: "We're pretty confident he'll be able to do it all."
"He'll certainly play periods in the ruck and spend time forward at times as well."
"It's a final so we're not going to take players in for the sake of it."
"He'll play if he can play his role and we're really confident he can do that."
Curley said that Rhys Palmer and Des Headland would be considered for promotion this week, along with Kepler Bradley.
He insisted however that Bradley would not be there simply to provide cover for Sandilands.
"If he plays it's because he's got a role to play," said Curley.
"He won't be playing in case somebody else gets injured."
"If 'Kep' gets an opportunity to play as a forward or as a forward-ruckman, he'll play in his own right, not to back-up (Sandilands)."
Curley said the Dockers, who are rank outsiders for Friday night's match, would take a fearless approach to the contest.
"There's probably not a lot of expectation outside our group on how we can go tomorrow night but looking back at last week, most people picked Hawthorn and thought they would roll through," he said.
"It's just another challenge and we're looking forward to it."
"Everyone's got their opinion and hopefully ours is the one that counts."