Gently, gently for Johnson
5:20:48 PM Tue 12 April, 2005
Paul Gough
Sportal for afl.com.au
Richmond coach Terry Wallace has revealed the Tigers' new skipper Kane Johnson could break down with stress fractures if he is rushed back too quickly from his injured heel.
Johnson was a late withdrawal from last Sunday's round three win over the Western Bulldogs due to a sore heel, which flared up during the previous week's win over Hawthorn.
The dual Adelaide premiership player is almost certain to miss Sunday's MCG home game against Fremantle and Wallace admitted on Tuesday he was unsure when the Tigers' premier midfielder would be ready to return.
But given the consequences of what could happen if he returns too soon, the Tigers will certainly not rush back Johnson before he is ready.
"Its not a stress fracture, it's a hot spot (in his heel)," Wallace said of Johnson's injury.
"A scan can either show if there is a crack or if it’s a hot spot, meaning its inflamed with fluid, and that is usually the first step towards a fracture occurring."
Wallace said now the Tigers realise Johnson is suffering inflammation in his heel, they have no choice but to rest him until it subsides.
"Once the hot spots goes he can continue playing but until he gets rid of that soreness we can’t take the risk because otherwise it would become a couple of months type of injury (if it becomes fractured)."
The Tigers might be on a high after two successive wins, following a club record 15 straight losses prior to that, but they are battling a mounting injury list with David Rodan (knee), Jay Schulz (ankle), Brent Hartigan (hamstring) and highly-rated draftee Richard Tambling (back) all sidelined.
Wallace said Tambling is unlikely to play again this week but denied the club was frustrated it had not been able to show off its number four draft pick - in stark contrast to Hawthorn, which has generated great excitement amongst its fans following the early form of number two pick Jarryd Roughead and number five pick Lance Franklin.
"I am not concerned about it all, it's a long journey," Wallace said of Tambling.
"They (draftees) are not trophies and we will put him on display when he is ready."
"What we have to make sure is that when he is ready to play he is definitely right because we don’t want to him to keep breaking down."
"He had a hamstring injury, then a toe problem and now it's his back so he hasn’t had any continuity (with his training) and we need him to get through two, three, four sessions in a row before we pick him."
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