Rest or play through? Tigers map out plan for skipperBy Callum Twomey - 7 hrs ago
RICHMOND will manage skipper Trent Cotchin through the compressed fixture block as the Tigers are careful with the midfielder's hamstring issues.
The two-time premiership captain won't face Greater Western Sydney in Friday night's Grand Final rematch but will return from his hamstring strain against the Western Bulldogs next Wednesday.
Coach Damien Hardwick said the Tigers will likely select certain games to leave the 30-year-old out of the side given his soft-tissue injuries in the past two years.
The Tigers will play four games in 20 days across rounds nine to 12, with Cotchin likely to be rested at different stages.
"He'll play next Wednesday. He's probably the one guy we did manage a bit in regards to when he will play," Hardwick said.
"He was very close this week but we thought we'd just take that extra time to get him right and he'll be available to play next Wednesday which excites us.
"We probably will have a plan with Trent about the games he does play. Obviously with his injury history we've got to be very careful and manage that.
"He's had a great training block, his speed is incredible at the moment and he's back above what he was playing at before, so we're really excited about when he does get back that he'll be able to play the vast majority of games.
"But obviously the condensed fixture will provide a little bit of a hurdle with regards to which games he will play."
Small forwards Daniel Rioli and Jack Higgins have been cleared to face the Giants despite training lightly this week but defender David Astbury has had a setback in his return from a knee injury that will see him miss next week's meeting with the Bulldogs.
"It didn't settle as well as we'd have liked. He looked highly probable to play and took a bit of a turn for the worse," Hardwick said.
"He's a relatively quick healer so we hope the latest setback isn't too long, but we'll wait and see. We'll give it time to heal and get him back on track for the longer term."
The Tigers will enter the Grand Final rematch at Giants Stadium on a three-game winning streak but Hardwick said his side wasn't thinking about its mental edge over the Giants after last year's mauling in the premiership decider.
"That game's done and dusted," he said.
"We realise we're playing a reasonable brand of football. We're not quite at our best but I don't think we're far off it, our system is something we're very, very confident in."
https://www.afl.com.au/news/474327/rest-or-play-through-tigers-map-out-plan-for-skipper
