Matthew Richardson the focus with Ben Cousins sidelined
Stephen Rielly | April 29, 2009
RICHMOND is increasingly confident that star forward Matthew Richardson will play against Sydney at the SCG on Sunday, but resigned to heading north without Andrew Raines, Ben Cousins and Trent Cotchin.
Richardson left the field in the second quarter of the match against North Melbourne last Saturday night with a strain of his left glute muscle.
He returned to the game but was afterwards placed in doubt for a date with the Swans that in recent seasons has been a humbling affair.
The Tigers have beaten Sydney only once in coach Terry Wallace's time at Punt Road, by one point in 2005, and lost the subsequent five matches by an average of 11 goals.
Richmond football operations manager Ross Monaghan said yesterday that although Richardson had not trained his injury had proven to be "slight" and the 34-year-old's recuperative powers were still strong.
"Matthew has recovered well since Saturday's game, and we were pleased he sustained no significant damage," Monaghan said. "We'll monitor his condition over the coming days and make a decision on his fitness later in the week."
Richardson, however, said he "was pretty sure I'll come up this week", which is important given that fellow forward Nathan Brown will miss again with a groin strain and other experienced players such as Raines and Cousins, and budding star Cotchin, will play VFL football with Coburg.
Cousins has not played since straining a hamstring in round one and while he trained strongly yesterday, the club wants to re-introduce him slowly to action. Raines, who was also injured in the team's ill-fated opening-night encounter with Carlton, successfully tested his knee playing for Coburg last week but is expected to play there again this weekend before making his senior return.
Cotchin, troubled by an Achilles injury in the pre-season, returned to the field for the first time this season by playing almost a half in the VFL but lacks sufficient match-conditioning to make his first AFL appearance this season.
Ruckman Troy Simmonds, who was demoted after the loss to Melbourne in round four that placed Wallace under immense pressure, could return after playing for Coburg last weekend.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25402493-5012432,00.html
