Jack Riewoldt to get early start by: Jon Ralph
From: Herald Sun
January 29, 2012 11:00PMJACK Riewoldt has completed his first week of full training, leaving the Tigers confident their full-forward will get plenty of time in the NAB Cup to prepare for Round 1.
Riewoldt is likely to be eased into the pre-season competition after surgery on both hips, his finger, and his left ankle.
Richmond kicks off the NAB Cup with mini-games against Hawthorn and North Melbourne on February 17, before full-length games against Fremantle in Perth, and Geelong at Simonds Stadium.
"Jack was back training last week and he's been running for most of the pre-season, so in terms of miles in his legs it's not an issue," Tigers head of football Craig Cameron said.
"(When he plays) is a little up in the air. He will play at some stage, but we will see how he gets through the next couple of weeks. I think the AFL has done a really good job with the NAB Cup because you have the ability to plan.
"In the last few years if you got knocked out in the first week you were never sure where you would play after that. This gives us a great chance to ensure players get the right level of match fitness."
It means stars like Brett Deledio, Dustin Martin and captain Chris Newman will be on show early in the NAB Cup. "They will get games for sure," Cameron said.
Richmond is happy with the health of its squad, with Trent Cotchin recovering from a slight calf strain, David Astbury being eased in after knee issues, and Kel Moore (hip) being brought along slowly.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/afl/jack-riewoldt-to-get-early-start/story-e6frepf6-1226256659773
