Dockers coach Ross Lyon has clearly flagged plans to work through his aged playing list, flagging that games for his emerging young talent and valuable experience are as much a priorities for the remainder of the season as possibly winning matches.

Evans claims he has "no problem with that" provided large selection changes were not made and that rests for senior players were on individual welfare grounds.

The Dockers' selection strategies were in the spotlight on Monday night, as David King and Jason Dunstall engaged in heated debate on Fox Footy's On The Couch - King insisting Fremantle had "no incentive" to win games and Dunstall maintaining young players got no benefit from a "culture of losing".

Dockers champion Matthew Pavlich was saved from the horror trip to Launceston and another loss to triple reigning premiers Hawthorn, as Fremantle suffered an eighth straight defeat of a season it started as serious flag contender.

League integrity investigators could step in if Lyon made wholesale changes that could appear to affect Fremantle's chances of winning games, Evans revealed.

The struggling Dockers appear destined to miss the finals for the first time since 2011.

A low ladder spot guarantees early draft selections to snare top young talent or to trade as higher-priced currency for more ready-made stars to assist a more immediate revival plan.

"The AFL would always look at it if it was done on mass," Evans said on Perth Radio 6PR.

"Particularly if you felt that wasn't the only reason they were trying to do it.

"It would be if you decided to rest a dozen players and you're clearly not trying to win a game.

"Then that raises a few eyebrows."

Evans had no issue with Pavlich missing the trip to Tasmania where the Dockers have now lost all nine shootouts with the Hawks since 2002.

The superstar forward is expected to return for Saturday's clash in Perth with a reinvigorated Richmond, which had a stirring come-from-behind win over flag fancies Sydney thanks to a Sam Lloyd goal after the final siren in Melbourne on Saturday.

Evans said that integrity of a team's winning intentions was not jeopardised by calculated welfare decisions about individual players.

Lyon has pulled up to a dozen players from Dockers teams deep into each of the last three seasons heading into finals - which generated widespread condemnation at the time but ultimately proved invaluable in long runs into September.

Lyon's early declaration to prioritise developing younger players in a stringent list management operation so early into a season has cast serious doubts on prospects of some accomplished servants surviving what is expected to be a savage assessment of players through until September.

Experienced defender Zac Dawson and workman on-baller Michael Barlow appear two glaring casualties of Lyon's desire to look to the future.

The maligned Dawson and highly popular Barlow are clearly on notice and shaky selection ground after being dropped for the Hawks clash on the back of form Lyon would no longer accept.

"I can understand the management of individual players," Evans expanded.

"It's the quality you get out of each game."

Evans said  establishing winning habits and culture was also critical in any recovery plan.

"For you fans sake and even for your own player's sake, it's always good to teach winning habits even if you're not in a great position to win," he said.

"It's something to teach players about always trying to win."

Fremantle chief executive Steve Rosich said the Dockers had received no warnings from the AFL regarding the "management" of players, stressing "that's not in our DNA. Our coaching team and our players prepare for every game like it's the last game of the year, like the grand final. That's not in our thinking."

However Rosich admitted: "Ross [Lyon], Chris Bond and myself meet each week and there was a point recently we did start to look further ahead than a week-to-week sense, with more of a whole season perspective.

"Obviously we'll have access to better draft picks, earlier choices than we normally do and, having Ross committed for five years, allows us to plan long-term and plan around him.

The Dockers' focus on youth is already placing great emphasis on appearances and important match duties for emerging youngsters Alex Pearce, Lachie Weller, Ed Langdon, Connor Blakely, Ethan Hughes, Brady Grey, Darcy Tucker and big forward Matt Taberner.

 - with Caroline Wilson