Oisin McConville believes Tyrone forward Darragh Canavan leaving to go to Australia for a month is "not ideal" for boss Malachy O'Rourke.
Canavan has made a huge impact for the Red Hands over the last few seasons and registered nine points during Tyrone's Division Two victory over Cavan on Saturday.
The 26-year-old will be available for the side's match against Louth next weekend and will then miss the rest of the league campaign, but he is set to return in time for the Ulster Championship opener with Armagh on 12 April.
"He will be a huge miss, an absolutely huge miss," former Armagh All-Ireland winner and currently Wicklow boss McConville said on the GAA Social podcast.
"You can't stop a lad first and foremost and I think in his case, after he picked up a few injuries, he will probably come back reinvigorated and ready to go for the club Championship.
"That [the Championship] is definitely the most important thing as far as Tyrone are concerned. I don't think Tyrone will be promoted now, that Derry loss was huge.
"It looks OK that he will go away and come back ready to rock. As a manager, it is not ideal as you want him there for every game but if you're going to go now is the time."
McConville added that Fermanagh's confidence will be suffering after losing their opening two fixtures in Division Three.
Declan Bonner's side lost 0-15 to 1-19 to Sligo before being defeated by Clare 2-18 to 0-18 in their most recent fixture.
"Do you remember last year Westmeath lost something ridiculous like six or seven games by a point?" he continued.
"They weren't having a bad season, they were just coming out on the wrong end of it and it feels a bit like that with Fermanagh.
"They don't seem massively off it but three games no points sucks away at the confidence and they will be feeling it right now and need a win badly."