Alex Pearce has escaped surgery, and is expected to be back on the park for pre-season training after appearing to suffer a horror injury mid-way through the Dockers' grand final heartbreak at the weekend.

Fremantle received the reprieve after their loss on Saturday which saw Brisbane stage a final-minutes comeback to claim a third-straight premiership.

Scans this week confirmed a partial achilles tear for their skipper.

Pearce went to ground abruptly chasing a loose ball during the third quarter of the weekend's grand final.

Initial fears were he ruptured his achilles, threatening to derail his 2027 season, as well as ending his afternoon.

The partial tear, alongside a calf strain, were confirmed by the club on Tuesday.

"Thankfully Alex has not had a complete rupture of his Achilles tendon and he will not require surgery," Dockers footy boss Joe Brierty said.

"Scans have revealed a partial tear of his Achilles tendon and also a significant calf strain.

"Our performance health team will continue to consult specialist advice and assess the timeline for his rehabilitation program. As it stands, we expect Alex to return to training in pre-season."

The third quarter blow left Fremantle without their main man down back, and despite rallying to lead by 17 points with under five minutes on the clock, the Dockers couldn't hold on to claim a maiden premiership.

Pearce was in line to become the first-ever Indigenous captain to hoist the cup on grand final day, and snap Freo fans' 30-plus year wait for the ultimate success.

Shai Bolton became the first player from a losing side to receive the Norm Smith medal in more than two decades.

He's became eighth First Nations player to receive the award for best on ground in a grand final.

Pearce's current contract expires at the end of next year.

There's soft speculation he could be convinced to return to his home state for the Tasmania Devils inaugural season in the AFL in 2028.