CARLTON coach Brett Ratten has backed his team to maintain its hard-running edge against Fremantle on Friday night, despite the loss of key playmaker Chris Yarran.

The Blues will be without Yarran (foot) for at least one match and possibly two, with the dangerous half-back joining key midfielder Andrew Carrazzo (shoulder) and defender Jeremy Laidler (knee) on the sidelines.

However, Ratten said Andrew Walker and Dennis Armfield would boost the team in Friday night's clash and running out the game would not be a concern at Patersons Stadium.

"I think the players we've brought back into the team would be in our top six in running," the coach said in Perth on Thursday.

"When you think of Armfield and Walker, they're elite runners of our football club, so I don't think we'll have a problem with running out the game."

Walker played every game last season, leading the Blues with 56 goals and providing midfield support, but he has been sidelined this year with a quad injury.

Ratten confirmed the 25-year-old would play his first game for the season on Friday night and said he had no concerns about his fitness.
 
"If you've seen Andrew run, he would still be fitter than half the blokes on the ground," the coach said.

"His running and what he's done through his rehab was more just about us giving him extra time. We were happy with his testing and the things that he's done.

"He's an elite runner of the competition, not just our football club, so we won't have any problems there."

After a disappointing performance against Essendon last Saturday, Ratten said his players would be focused on applying physical pressure to their opponents on Friday night.

The coach said he had noticed significant changes to Fremantle's game plan under Lyon and expected an arm wrestle at Patersons Stadium.

"Watching them in Melbourne last week, with Ross's set up and things like that, they're not going inside 50 at the high end of the competition and they're not allowing the opposition, so you don't get free-flowing football," Ratten said.

"It's a real contest, it's an arm wrestle and that's what we expect. We've all come here prepared for that.
 
"They don't play on a lot - especially back of centre - they find a target, they control the game and they control the speed of the game. That's something Ross has always done at St. Kilda.

"We've seen that in the past four weeks when they've started this season. Nothing will change, I don't think."

Nathan Schmook is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Nathan