‘Missed the whole thing’: Vlastuin lifts lid on injury missionJack Jovanovski
Fox Sports
February 3rd, 2026 Nick Vlastuin is no certainty to suit up for Richmond’s season-opening clash with Carlton in Round 1, as recovery from a nasty fractured ankle continues to take its toll in more ways than one.
The three-time premiership star also pulled back the curtain on the Tigers’ pre-season to date, including his training standouts and breakout candidates to monitor throughout the year.
Vlastuin, one of Richmond’s most durable and reliable soldiers in recent times and throughout its flag era, suffered a gruesome broken ankle in the Tigers’ Round 23 loss to North Melbourne last year.
And while he’s started to ramp things up, the recovery has restricted him to limited duties for much of his 14th AFL pre-season.
Now, having increased training loads after a lengthy stint of inactivity, Vlastuin is starting to feel the pinch in other areas.
It’s meant that despite it being said that the 31-year-old had returned to main training, while he’s participated in some drills, that isn’t quite the case.
“Yeah, nah. I did one drill, and the media was like ‘he’s back in full training’. This pre-season’s probably the first one where I’ve missed the whole thing, to be honest,” he told foxfooty.com.au.
“I was just straight-line (running) the first day back at training. I only did a little bit. The ankle’s kind of progressing well, but it was a pretty bad injury, so I’ve kind of taken my time.
“And now, everything else is kind of getting sore as well, when you don’t do too much for a couple of months and then try and get back into it.
“So, the back’s kind of blown up a little bit now, and (I’m) just managing a few other little things, so this pre-season for me has probably been one (that I’ve missed) out of the 14 or whatever (in his career).
“Yeah (a gradual ramp-up), a lot of cross-training, on the bike, and then just running sessions and starting to transition back into skills and all that kind of stuff now.”
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Asked if he was still on track to suit up against Carlton in the club’s season-opener, Vlastuin was noncommittal, explaining the frustrating nature of his rehab.
“To be honest, it’s kind of day-by-day,” he conceded.
“Some days I feel really good, and (I’m thinking) Round 1 is a shoo-in, and two days later I pull up sh*t, and it looks a while off.
“It’s just one of those kind of injuries you’ve just got to (take it) session by session. Body’s getting a bit older than usual.”
But after earning a well-deserved All-Australian squad nod last year as one of the league’s best interceptors, he still feels he’s got multiple years left playing at a high level.
“I’m hoping, yeah. Confidence in my ability over a couple of years, I can still contribute to the team,” he said.
“If it’s not having the impact possession-wise or whatever it was last year, hopefully I can teach the younger boys a little bit as well.
“That’s kind of the way I look at my role going forward a little bit, just try and pass on as much knowledge as I can, and then still perform myself.”
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And while he’s been mostly off to the side, Vlastuin says it’s felt like the majority of the playing group has stayed healthy throughout the summer.
“It’s been pretty solid ... we’ve got a lot of numbers on the track, which is good. Last year, we had a lot coming back through rehab,” he said.
“This year, I reckon, the majority have done the whole pre-season. So, yeah, it’s been good.”
Second-year tall Tom Sims still remains some way away from a return with a foot stress fracture, while luckless wingman Judson Clarke has a long stint to go recovering from his ruptured ACL, and Hugo Ralphsmith has been deterred by a hamstring injury sustained late last year.
Asked which of the recruits had caught his eye, Vlastuin couldn’t help but come back to the pair of top-10 draftees from last November — who, if the veteran’s words are a fair indication, will be playing senior footy reasonably early on.
“Sammy Cumming is dominating,” he said. “He played really well today (in last Friday’s match simulation).
“I hope he plays a lot of games this year, because he’s going really well. And then (Sam) Grlj as well, he’s in the backline, so I’m getting to do weights and that with him — he speaks 200 words a minute, but he plays footy pretty much the same way.
“He’s exciting, he’s quick, he’s got a lot of speed, a lot of talent. He takes on everyone, so he’ll be exciting, and he’ll be a very special player if we can harness it and teach him when to do it and when not to do it, but he’s going really well.”
Grlj, who broke lines for fun for Oakleigh Chargers with his speed and dash, is looking to lock down a spot across the half-backline.
No.7 pick Cumming, meanwhile, has played mostly in the midfield during match simulation.
Probed on breakout candidates from the wider playing group, with a focus on the bevy of 2024 first-rounders now into their second year, Vlastuin’s picks wouldn’t surprise Tigers fans.
“Well, not that he hasn’t made (a name for) himself, but Sammy Lalor — if he stays fit — he’s going very well. And Taj Hotton as well, both of them,” he said.
“Probably everyone will say them, to be honest with you. And Jonty (Faull) as well, he’s been going really well up forward. I think he missed the whole pre-season last year, then he’s got this full one into him, so he’s going to be pretty good as well.”
Taking a bigger-picture perspective, Vlastuin understands that he, like flag-winning teammates Tom Lynch, Nathan Broad and Dion Prestia, is in the twilight of his career.
Thus, it’s important that the club sees leadership growth from the middle wave of players to help tide along the raw youngsters.
Vlastuin raised Tim Taranto — who entered the leadership group last year — as well as Jack Ross and even Seth Campbell as those who’ve stepped up in that capacity.
“Him (Taranto), and Jack Ross as well. I really like what he (Ross) is doing,” he said.
“He’s just that level head, played a fair bit of footy now, and he kind of showed towards late last year how good he can be, and he’s had another pretty good pre-season as well.
“Maybe Seth Campbell a little bit — he’s probably a little bit raw, but he’s got a lot of talent, and people follow him up forward, so probably those two.”
Adem Yze’s Tigers somewhat surprised the competition with five wins last year, but while some will expect another leap — potentially into the wildcard conversation — Vlastuin is clear on his role as a veteran on a young team.
“We haven’t really spoken about it (expectations), to be honest. It’s just trying to develop these young boys as quickly as we can,” he said.
“Because it’s not going to be me, ‘Lynchy’ or ‘Broady’ that take us to the finals, it’s going to be Sammy (Lalor), Taj (Hotton) and Jonty (Faull).
“So, yeah, just helping them as much as we can, and if we’re still there, then that’s a bonus for us, but it’s kind of all about the young boys now.”
https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2026-nick-vlastuin-injury-update-and-round-1-chances-broken-ankle-recovery-sam-grlj-sam-cumming-sam-lalor-exclusive-interview/news-story/59390aa0b84df3e8153793f19f9e9b0b
