Tigers optimistic on Bowden
1:39:59 PM Sun 22 May, 2005
Paul Gough
Sportal for afl.com.au
Richmond is hoping reigning club champion Joel Bowden has escaped serious injury following his accidental head clash with teammate Chris Hyde during Saturday night's thrilling win over Brisbane at the Gabba.
There were fears Bowden, last year's winner of the Jack Dyer Medal, had suffered a fractured cheekbone and the Tigers will not know for sure until the deputy vice-captain undergoes a scan on Monday.
However Richmond football manager Paul Armstrong told afl.com.au on Sunday that Bowden had pulled up better than expected following the clash with Hyde - who himself was returning after missing three matches with a fractured skull following a sickening head clash with St Kilda's Matt Maguire.
"Joel has pulled up well this morning and the doctors are really happy with him," Armstrong said.
"We will have to wait and see what happens with the scan but we haven't ruled him out for next week at this stage."
The Tigers, whose season record moved to 7-2 following the thrilling four-point win over the Lions, will be desperate to have Bowden available for next Friday night's clash at Telstra Dome against Melbourne, which is just one game adrift of Richmond with both sides in the top four.
But while the Tigers are hoping Bowden will be available they will definitely be without gun recruit Richard Tambling, who has succumbed to his second hamstring injury for the season.
Armstrong said the Tigers' No.4 pick was likely to miss at least two matches, ruling him out of not only the clash with Melbourne but the following week's even bigger clash against league-leader West Coast at the MCG.
The Tigers are likely to replace Tambling with either Daniel Jackson or Andrew Raines with Brent Hartigan still not ready to resume from a hamstring injury while ruckman/forward Greg Stafford is also likely to return to face Melbourne next week after being a late withdrawal for the past two matches with a foot injury sustained against Carlton in round seven.
http://richmondfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=204294 ??? Dr Pete Larkins said this morning Joel will need an op while Tambling is out for the next 3-4 weeks.