Gaspar injury adds to Tiger woes
1:32:16 PM Sun 16 April, 2006
Paul Gough
Sportal for afl.com.au
Richmond's lack of height in defence is looming as a major problem after confirmation on Sunday that full-back Darren Gaspar will miss at least a fortnight after suffering a hamstring injury during the Tigers' 46-point loss to West Coast at Subiaco on Saturday night.
Gaspar's injury comes just a week after the loss of Jay Schulz for up to two months with a dislocated collarbone and promising young tall defender Will Thursfield for the rest of the season with a knee injury.
And to cap off a tough few weeks for the Tigers - who sit last on the ladder after three successive losses to start the season - young wingman Tom Roach looks set to miss at least six weeks with a broken jaw after accidentally being struck by teammate Shane Tuck's shoulder.
However Richmond is not the only club with injury worries with Geelong sweating on the results of an MRI scan on skipper Steven King's injured hamstring while Carlton has also sent Matthew Lappin for scans on his injured shoulder.
St Kilda lost dual Brownlow Medallist Robert Harvey for at least a fortnight and possibly up to a month on Thursday night with a hamstring injury.
Richmond football manager Paul Armstrong told afl.com.au on Sunday that Gaspar's injury occurred late in the game as he stretched down to go for a loose ball.
"It's a regulation hamstring injury so it will be a couple of weeks," Armstrong said of the Tigers' best defender.
With Gaspar, Schulz and Thursfield now all sidelined, the Tigers will have to rely on the likes of Andrew Kellaway and Joel Bowden to fill the key defensive positions when Richmond's tough start to the season continues when they meet Brisbane at the Gabba next Saturday night.
However ruckman Greg Stafford is a chance to return to the side to give the Tigers some much-needed height.
Stafford made his return from a calf injury in the VFL on Saturday and pulled up well.
Geelong football manager Garry Davidson said King would have a scan on Monday but the Cats are already resigned to being without their skipper for at least next week's clash against the Western Bulldogs.
King suffered the injury in the opening minutes of the Cats' shock 52-point home loss to Hawthorn and could miss up to a month if the scans reveal a tear.
The injury is to his right hamstring, which is not the one he injured during last year's semi-final loss to Sydney.
Davidson said defender Matthew Egan would also have scans on his injured shoulder but may only miss a week.
The Saints will be cautious with 34-year-old Harvey, who missed seven matches with three separate hamstring injuries last year.
But there is good news for the Saints with Justin Koschitzke expected to make his first appearance of the season next week following patella tendonitis while Fraser Gehrig faces a race against time to be fit for the Saints' next clash - which is not until Monday week against Port Adelaide - due to hamstring soreness.
And St Kilda skipper Luke Ball is expected to return next week after an abdominal strain.
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