Richmond's health check (afl)

[one-eyed]

Health check
Paul Daffey
afl.com.au
Wed 25 Jul, 2012


RICHMOND

Games missed: Richmond’s best 22 has missed a total of 42 games, which is low compared to most rivals. The biggest blows have been injuries to Jake King (who’s played eight games), Dylan Grimes (nine), Tyrone Vickery (nine) and Nathan Foley (10). The groin injury to Ivan Maric might be a concern over coming weeks, but by and large the Tigers have nothing to complain about.

Players used:  Before the Tigers’ bye in round 13 they’d used the fewest players in the competition, but since then there’s been weekly upheavals because of injury, suspension and, in the case of Dustin Martin and Dan Connors, a club suspension and a sacking. The biggest upheaval was felt in round 15, when the Tigers defeated Melbourne despite making seven changes. All up the Tigers have used 35 players, which ranks them mid-table.

A-graders:  Trent Cotchin, Brett Deledio, Chris Newman and Dustin Martin between them have missed just two games, which was the penalty handed out to Martin after he’d arrived late at training. Otherwise, the Tigers’ best players have trotted out in every game. Even the second-tier players have been largely blessed with good health. It’s inexperience that’s cost the Tigers rather than manpower.

Current injury list:  Nathan Foley (heel - season), Tyrone Vickery (shoulder - season), Dylan Grimes (hamstring - indefinite), Matt Arnott (hamstring - three weeks), Gibson Turner (finger - two weeks)

Set to return: Jake Batchelor (knee), Jake King (knee) and Ben Griffiths (leg) are due to return either this week or next. While you’d rank none of them in the star category, they’re all in the current best 22 and would be sure to be slotted in when available.

Prognosis: Richmond has very little to complain about on the injury front. It’s a credit to the fitness staff, the players themselves and the goddess of luck that eight players have lined up every game: Alex Rance, Chris Newman, Shaun Grigg, Brett Deledio, Robin Nahas, Jack Riewoldt, Shane Tuck and Trent Cotchin. The relative health of the list gives the Tigers every chance of performing to their best as they push over the remaining six rounds for a place in the top eight.

All clubs' summaries here: http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/142503/default.aspx

[dwaino]

I read that before and I thought it was unfair. Sure, comparing numbers of how many we've lost and when to other clubs looks slim on paper, but at our stage of development we are not prepared to lose key components such as Foley, Grimes, King and Vickery (I say more for structural reasons than his 2012 form) all at the same time.

[WilliamPowell]

I read that before and I thought it was unfair. Sure, comparing numbers of how many we've lost and when to other clubs looks slim on paper, but at our stage of development we are not prepared to lose key components such as Foley, Grimes, King and Vickery (I say more for structural reasons than his 2012 form) all at the same time.

Agree dwaino

the biggest one on that list has been Foley, has put massive pressure on the likes of Tuck and Cotchin in the centre clearance stakes. In the case of Cotchin the loss of Foley has meant he hasn't been able to rest up forward as much as he was earlier in the season (read when had our wins against Syd, Hawth & StK)

[Chuck17]

Newman is no where near the same grade as those other three mentioned

[tigs2011]

Newman is no where near the same grade as those other three mentioned

Nor is he better than Foley/Vickery (pre-injury) and Grimes.

[rfctigers05]

We need another youth worker
Counselling is vital
Medicos doing their job
No injury worries are they serious
Grimes king foley and griffo
Newman is at east gipPsland standard
Should be retied reminiscing in a country pub