Fremantle ruckman Sean Darcy has vowed to protect Andrew Brayshaw as much as possible if rival teams target the star midfielder during the AFL finals.
Brayshaw took out the AFL Players MVP award earlier this week, and he is fourth favourite to win the Brownlow medal.
The 22-year-old was tagged more heavily in the back-end of the home-and-away season, and he looms as the main target in next week's elimination final against the Western Bulldogs at Optus Stadium.
Caleb Serong has been one of the main Fremantle players who have attempted to interrupt tags on Brayshaw this year, and Darcy said it would be a big focus to protect their star teammate during the finals.
"He's got a lot of attention this year by opposition players, so you've got to look after him," Darcy told Triple M.
"We have a rule that if they go after one, they go after us all. So we've got to protect him as much as we possibly can."
Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir has a series of big selection decisions to make heading into the club's first final since 2015.
Forward Rory Lobb is almost certain to return from a shoulder injury, but Griffin Logue (adductor) and Matt Taberner (calf) are still in some doubt.
Even if Lobb, Logue and Taberner are all fit, Longmuir has already indicated it's unlikely he will be able to play all three given their lack of match fitness.
Taberner appears the most likely to be squeezed out given his history of injuries this season.
