Fremantle forward Des Headland has shed several kilos in order to save his AFL career.

Headland played the first four games this season but hasn't featured since, with his troublesome knee requiring another bout of surgery.

The 29-year-old is off contract at season's end and has played just 19 games since the start of 2008.

But the former Lion has been hard at work during his injury-enforced layoff, trimming down in order to protect his knee from further damage.

Headland has been back at training for several weeks now and will push his case for an AFL recall when he makes his WAFL return for Subiaco this weekend.

"Des has lost a couple of kilos and looks pretty sharp," Fremantle coach Mark Harvey said on Thursday.

"I think when you have knee issues, the less stress you put on the knees the better.

"That's a way of releasing it."

Harvey said defender Chris Tarrant (Achilles tendon) was an unlikely starter against Richmond at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night, leaving the Dockers without their three recognised key backmen.

Antoni Grover (hamstring) and Luke McPharlin (knee) are still out injured, leaving either Alex Silvagni, Michael Johnson or Adam McPhee with the daunting job of shutting down in-form forward Jack Riewoldt.

Byron Schammer, Nick Suban, Tim Ruffles, Clancee Pearce, Jesse Crichton and Steven Dodd are all in line to replace injured midfielders Michael Barlow (broken leg) and Nat Fyfe (concussion).

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