Tigers won't rush GibcusBy Josh Gabelich
AFL Media
19 Feb 2025Richmond hopes to regain young key defender Josh Gibcus within the first two months of the season, following a frustrating recovery from the knee reconstruction that ended his 2024 campaign in round one.
The 2021 No.9 pick has only played two games since featuring 18 times in his debut season, missing all of 2023 due to a nightmare hamstring tendon injury that resulted in multiple wound infections, nerve damage and muscular atrophy, before tearing his anterior cruciate ligament on March 14 last year.
Gibcus travelled to Qatar to visit internationally renowned sports medicine practice Aspetar at the end of 2023, before returning to Doha last off-season to visit Irish ACL rehabilitation specialist, Dr Edna King, after experiencing a slower than expected recovery that involved secondary knee surgery.
While Clarke has raced ahead of the pack and Lefau has made significant progress over summer, the Tigers, under new high performance boss Ben Serpell, are determined for all players to complete a 12-month rehabilitation block.
Speaking to AFL.com.au ahead of his second season at Punt Road, Yze said the Tigers can't put a timeline on Gibcus' return until he starts full training but knows the Tigers must be patient with the blue-chip backman.
"We've got five players recovering from ACLs. Josh was the first one. He did his first, but his progress would be halfway. He is nowhere near round one, he won't be ready," Yze said.
"Judson Clarke has gone past him. Mykelti Lefau did his knee the latest out of anyone and he is ticking more boxes than Josh already. The hardest thing for a kid that's had multiple injuries and over two years now is the frustration around the time.
"When you think of a knee, you think 12 months, so by round one you'd think he's ready. But he won't be. We've got to make sure he doesn't think he needs to be. That won't be fair on him. His body is made up differently than Judson and Mykelti. But what comes with that, is frustration. He is trying to tick these boxes and having people pass him, so I've sensed that has frustrated him. I've had heaps of chats with him about that.
"He is such a terrific kid that deserves some luck. He is helping our AFLW program while he is in recovery with Tylar Young. No one told them to do it, they just wanted to help the girls. That's the type of people they are.
"Josh is starting to run, which is a positive, but the timeline is hard to put a number on it because that can cause some anxiety. He won't be ready for round one, but we are hoping round 4-6 or whatever. The minute he starts to join in training we will be able to give that timeline. Unfortunately, it will be a bit longer than 12 months."
https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/1718312/tigers-wont-rush-gibcus-must-be-smarter-with-key-mid-prestia
