Fremantle Dockers forward Jesse Hogan is set to make the positional move to defence amid injuries to several key position backmen.
The former Demon was picked up by Dockers in 2018 with hopes of becoming their next big forward.
However, the Dockers are yet to see the best of Hogan after a second major foot injury last year and mental health problems.
The 25-year old hasn't played since Round 5 after injuring his calf but has been training as a defender in recent weeks.
Coach Justin Longmuir is aware of the risk to play Hogan in defence but believes it is necessary due to the likeliness that Alex Pearce, Joel Hamling and Griffin Logue won't play again in 2020.
“We’re undersized in our backline,” Longmuir said.
“He wants to do it, he’s put his hand up to do it. How long that takes to upskill him to play in our backline - we’ll have to wait and see.
“But he’s had some minutes in the reserves today and executed some stuff pretty well, so we’ll look at that."
Longmuir said that he doesn't see Hogan as a defender long term but it may help develop him more as a player.
“It’s going to be a little bit of a risk because we’re not going to get a lot of opportunity to play against another opposition in an 18 on 18 format.
“So we have to be creative with the way we educate him, with the way we give him opportunities to train as a back. And at some stage we’re just going to have to throw him in.”
There is a chance Hogan will play against Carlton next Saturday, while now healthy star midfielder Michael Walters is likely to replace Travis Colyer (hamstring injury).