Tigers hurting as Bombers loom
1:38:19 PM Mon 5 May, 2003
Paul Gough
afl.com.au
Richmond faces a major test of its depth when it faces arch-rival Essendon at the MCG on Saturday with the Tigers set to be without almost a third of their best line-up.
In fact the Tigers, who began the season with only 36 players on their senior list (Collingwood and the Kangaroos each have 39) due to salary cap restraints, will have only 29 fit players to choose from.
This follows the loss of skipper Wayne Campbell for a week due to a calf injury and goalsneak Adam Houlihan for two weeks with a hamstring strain from Saturday night’s loss to Port Adelaide plus the news that key defender Ben Holland has had another injury setback just as he was ready to reclaim his place.
Holland, who has not played since round four last year after he underwent a knee re-construction, had returned to action in the VFL but he tore his quad muscle at training last Wednesday night and will now miss at least another two games.
The Tigers are also, of course, without their twin towers in attack in Matthew Richardson, who is expected to miss at least Saturday’s game with a hamstring strain, and Brad Ottens, who is yet to play this season due to a back problems, while Justin Blumfield is out for at least another two months with a serious thigh injury.
And veteran tagger Duncan Kellaway – the seventh member of the Tigers’ best line-up that will miss on Saturday – is still not ready to play AFL after only returning to the VFL last week following a long-term hamstring problem.
Richmond football manager Greg Hutchison admits the Tigers face some testing times with so many senior players unavailable and with matches against Melbourne and West Coast in Perth to follow immediately after Essendon.
“Prior to the weekend we had only used 26 players, which was the lowest in the AFL so I think our depth will be tested over the next month,’ Hutchison said.
“We’ve got Campbell out now and Adam Houlihan so the depth does get tested a bit and we haven’t got many coming back in the short term so it will be a pretty tough month for us.”
“But the blokes have just got to show some resolve and give it the best they have got in the next couple of weeks.”
With none of their injured players ready to return, the Tigers will be forced to go into their VFL side to find the replacements for Campbell and Houlihan for Saturday’s big MCG clash against the Bombers.
And there is a chance the Tigers could go with two first gamers in former Hawthorn forward Bill Nicholls and their number one draft pick from last year in Jay Schulz.
Nicholls appears a certainty after a top performance for Coburg on the weekend.
“He had close to 30 possessions on the weekend which is a good result for Billy,” Hutchison said.
“He is another player that will come into contention because if you’ve got two injuries and you’ve got some form in the VFL, then you don’t have to be a genius to work out you’re a chance to get a game.”
The other player that may be promoted for the Tigers is Royce Vardy, who kicked four goals for Coburg on the weekend and will add some much-needed height to the Tigers’ attack.
1:38:19 PM Mon 5 May, 2003
Paul Gough
afl.com.au
Richmond faces a major test of its depth when it faces arch-rival Essendon at the MCG on Saturday with the Tigers set to be without almost a third of their best line-up.
In fact the Tigers, who began the season with only 36 players on their senior list (Collingwood and the Kangaroos each have 39) due to salary cap restraints, will have only 29 fit players to choose from.
This follows the loss of skipper Wayne Campbell for a week due to a calf injury and goalsneak Adam Houlihan for two weeks with a hamstring strain from Saturday night’s loss to Port Adelaide plus the news that key defender Ben Holland has had another injury setback just as he was ready to reclaim his place.
Holland, who has not played since round four last year after he underwent a knee re-construction, had returned to action in the VFL but he tore his quad muscle at training last Wednesday night and will now miss at least another two games.
The Tigers are also, of course, without their twin towers in attack in Matthew Richardson, who is expected to miss at least Saturday’s game with a hamstring strain, and Brad Ottens, who is yet to play this season due to a back problems, while Justin Blumfield is out for at least another two months with a serious thigh injury.
And veteran tagger Duncan Kellaway – the seventh member of the Tigers’ best line-up that will miss on Saturday – is still not ready to play AFL after only returning to the VFL last week following a long-term hamstring problem.
Richmond football manager Greg Hutchison admits the Tigers face some testing times with so many senior players unavailable and with matches against Melbourne and West Coast in Perth to follow immediately after Essendon.
“Prior to the weekend we had only used 26 players, which was the lowest in the AFL so I think our depth will be tested over the next month,’ Hutchison said.
“We’ve got Campbell out now and Adam Houlihan so the depth does get tested a bit and we haven’t got many coming back in the short term so it will be a pretty tough month for us.”
“But the blokes have just got to show some resolve and give it the best they have got in the next couple of weeks.”
With none of their injured players ready to return, the Tigers will be forced to go into their VFL side to find the replacements for Campbell and Houlihan for Saturday’s big MCG clash against the Bombers.
And there is a chance the Tigers could go with two first gamers in former Hawthorn forward Bill Nicholls and their number one draft pick from last year in Jay Schulz.
Nicholls appears a certainty after a top performance for Coburg on the weekend.
“He had close to 30 possessions on the weekend which is a good result for Billy,” Hutchison said.
“He is another player that will come into contention because if you’ve got two injuries and you’ve got some form in the VFL, then you don’t have to be a genius to work out you’re a chance to get a game.”
The other player that may be promoted for the Tigers is Royce Vardy, who kicked four goals for Coburg on the weekend and will add some much-needed height to the Tigers’ attack.
