Horror injury fallout means win ‘may cost Tigers a shot at the flag’July 5, 2020 7:00pm
Ben Waterworth
FOX SPORTSDespite regaining their trademark forward handball game for the first time since the season restart, Richmond’s 27-point win over Melbourne on Sunday appeared to come at a massive cost, with three dual premiership players finishing the game on the bench and an injury cloud hanging over its star goalkicker.
On top of that, it emerged during the game that two senior players, Shane Edwards and Bachar Houli, wouldn’t be travelling with the team to its interstate hub to continue the 2020 AFL season.
It means Richmond will fly to Queensland without a full list, with eight to 10 players set to be left behind in Victoria.
Asked if it was the Tigers of old, dual premiership Kangaroo David King told Fox Footy post-game: “It was – but what price, the victory? That’s the situation right now.
“Is this the game that costs them their premiership opportunity?”
As the Tigers held on against the Dees, skipper Trent Cotchin, gun midfielder Dion Prestia and ruckman Toby Nankervis were sitting on the interchange bench after suffering injuries during the game.
Prestia appears to be the biggest concern, as it stands. The ball magnet’s lower leg got caught underneath him during a tackle from young Demon Kysaiah Pickett late in Sunday night’s game. He was assisted from the field and seen close to tears as coach Damien Hardwick consoled him.
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick post-game said Prestia had suffered a syndesmosis injury.
Prestia told Channel 7 post-game: “We’ll find out more tomorrow, so we’ll see how we go.
“It didn’t feel too good when it first happened.
“I’ll try to get up there (Gold Coast) – it’d be nice to get some hot weather – but I’ll just see how we go.”
Nankervis didn’t spend any time on the field in the final term after suffering his own syndesmosis injury in the previous quarter.
Like Prestia, Nankervis’ lower leg twisted awkwardly while being tackled by Demons utility Adam Tomlinson.
Cotchin’s injury is also a concern, confirming post-game that he’d suffered another hamstring setback – his fourth in 12 months.
Asked about his prognosis on Channel 7 post-game, a reluctant Cotchin said: “I’m not sure yet, but I think a tiny little hammy.
“It is what it is, it’s part of the game we play.”
Earlier in the game, cameras captured Tom Lynch favouring his hand after having a shot for goal.
Richmond medical staff were seen placing a glove on Lynch’s hand during a quarterly break and he played on, kicking two late goals to help seal the win for his side.
Hardwick revealed post-game Lynch played out the game with a broken finger. But scans will determine the severity of the injury.
With Edwards and Houli set to stay in Victoria and gun defender David Astbury still a month away after suffering a dislocated knee cap, it means the Tigers could have as many as seven of first-choice players unavailable for the foreseeable future.
“We’ve been down this path before, we’ve dealt with it and I’m sure we’ll deal with it pretty well again,” Hardwick told reporters.
It’s a far from ideal scenario for the Tigers, who just regained some form before jetting off on their first hub experience of the season.
However five-time premiership Hawk Dermott Brereton wasn’t entirely convinced by the win over the Demons.
“Well done, they got the win and they got a bit of their brand back. But if they played somebody in form today, that somebody else I think probably still beats Richmond,” Brereton told Fox Footy.
“I don’t think they were convincing, they were a little unsure of the ball and they took a few risks that I didn’t think was them.
“They’re back on track, but they’re still not where they want to be.”
https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2020-richmond-injury-list-dion-prestia-ankle-trent-cotchin-hamstring-tigers-defeat-melbourne/news-story/79d252f9e23a9ef4445a4acf9d1c3e11
