Selectors to decide on Tambling
4:31:51 PM Tue 26 April, 2005
Scott Spits
Sportal for afl.com.au
Richmond will decide this week whether to select No.4 draft pick Richard Tambling for his AFL debut against Port Adelaide after the 18-year-old emerged unscathed from his VFL hit-out on Anzac Day.
The highly-rated youngster from the Northern Territory played for Coburg after overcoming a back injury which had hampered the start to his first AFL season.
Richmond coach Terry Wallace said the match committee will weigh up whether Tambling has enough footy under his belt for his senior debut.
"When you play your first senior game you want to be absolutely knocking the door down. We've got to make a decision whether that's now or in a week or two," Wallace said on Tuesday.
The Tigers had planned to play him in round one but a toe injury, followed by a back-related hamstring complaint, had kept Tambling on the sidelines.
"He's a good young footballer that we want to get into senior football as soon as we possibly can," Wallace said.
"We had always spoken about him playing round one if he was right, and he just wasn't right. He just had a few niggling injuries.
"The question really is - has he played enough footy for a young bloke to play his first game of AFL footy? Everyone wants to see him play and everyone is looking forward to the opportunity of seeing him, but is he ready purely and simply from football terms?"
http://richmondfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=198703