Tigers look to rest some key players Matt Murnane
The Age
August 19, 2013 Richmond could rest key players for Sunday's rebound game against Greater Western Sydney despite positive injury news for spearhead Jack Riewoldt and captain Trent Cotchin.
With their team to play finals for the first time in more than a decade, Richmond supporters looked on with concern on Saturday when Riewoldt landed awkwardly from a marking contest and hyperextended his knee late in the loss against Carlton at the MCG.
However, scans on Sunday cleared the star goalkicker of any structural damage to his right knee.
Although the club said Riewoldt would come into selection calculations if he gets through training this week, it seems likely the recently re-signed forward will sit out the game against the bottom-placed Giants at Skoda Stadium.
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Cotchin suffered a bruised shin against the Blues and also could be rested, even if available, along with defenders Chris Newman (ankle), Ricky Petterd (hamstring) and perhaps forward Matt White (hamstring) as coach Damien Hardwick looks to manage his list in the final two weeks before finals.
''We've just got some players that we've got to manage at this time of the year and you'd rather take the one week [out] than two or three if you push the envelope with them,'' he said.
''Most sides are going through management issues at this time of the year and we're probably no different.''
White was a late withdrawal on Saturday because of hamstring soreness and will face a fitness test, but it is likely the club will take every precaution given fellow small forwards Jake King and Shane Edwards are both set to return from hamstring complaints.
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