Richardson to ruck
10 May 2007 Herald-Sun
Gareth Trickey
RICHMOND has turned to spearhead Matthew Richardson to help solve its ruck crisis.
The Tigers, who are desperate to turn around their form after Sunday's embarrassing 157-point loss to Geelong, go into Saturday's game against Port Adelaide without injured ruckmen Troy Simmonds (ankle), Trent Knobel (ankle) and Ray Hall (hip).
The dearth of ruckmen could hardly have come at a worse time, with Richmond facing a formidable opponent in last year's All-Australian ruckman Brendon Lade.
The Tigers sit second last in the league for hitouts with 146 this season. Port ruckman Lade has managed 139 alone.
The Power (210) are third for hitouts behind Sydney (277) and Geelong (226).
And it gets worse for Richmond. Lade's sidekick Dean Brogan is a strong chance to return after being sidelined for the past three matches with an ankle injury.
Richmond football operations manager Paul Armstrong said Richardson (12 hitouts for the season) would help carry the ruck load this weekend.
"It looks like Simmonds will miss this weekend and with Knobel and Hall out as well, we're short of ruckmen," Armstrong said. "Richo has played that role in parts in the last couple of weeks.
"There will no doubt be times when he will have to do that sort of thing again."
Richardson spent the last half of training yesterday working with ruck coach Damian Monkhorst.
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