Big query over Richo

[one-eyed]

Big query over Richo
4:29:07 PM Fri 17 June, 2005
Jason Phelan
Sportal for afl.com.au

Injury concerns abound at Richmond with at least four players - including spearhead Matthew Richardson - in some doubt to take their places in the side to face Adelaide at Telstra Dome on Saturday night.

Richardson was one of four players who did not participate in a light training session at the State Hockey Centre on Friday morning, and Wallace revealed that fellow talls Trent Knobel and Troy Simmonds were also part of that group.

"We've probably had four guys that are still under injury clouds coming into tomorrow night, so we'll have all our emergencies along at the game and we'll make some late decisions tomorrow," Wallace said from Punt Road on Friday.

Richardson has been plagued by knee soreness so far this season and will be given as much time as possible to prove his fitness, but Wallace admitted the knee hadn't come up as well as he'd hoped despite resting the full-forward all week.

Keyhole surgery on the troublesome knee had loomed as a possible option earlier in the week, but Wallace said Richmond's medical staff had ruled that out "at this stage".

"Now that's been taken out of the equation the choice is three weeks off completely rested to try to come up for the second half of the season, or try to get him through this week's game," he said.

"We've got to make a medical decision on whether we want him to play or not, and that'll be made tomorrow. If we thought it was getting progressively worse we would have given him a break three or four weeks ago (but) you'd have one week where it would come up okay and then the next week it would be a disaster."

http://richmondfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=209998

[Mopsy]

Looks like Morrison named as emergency to free up Ray Hall if needed.
Schulz For Richo?

[one-eyed]

No surgery for Richo

By Lyall Johnson
The Age
June 17, 2005

Richmond has ruled out mid-season surgery on Matthew Richardson's troublesome knee, but the big forward is still in doubt for tomorrow's clash against Adelaide.

The Tigers' match committee instructed Richardson to do no training this week that would affect his knee - restricting him to gym and handball work - and will give him until minutes before the match to be declared fit.

"We've had discussions (about surgery) and we didn't think that was the best option to go down at this stage,'' Wallace said today.

"Now that's been taken out of the equation, the choice is three weeks off completely (to) rest it to try to come up for the second half of the season or try to get him through this weekend's game.''

Should he play, he will have his knee drained of fluid before the match.

But Wallace added that Richardson was "certainly no certainty at all''.

He is one of four Tigers in doubt.

Trent Knobel and Troy Simmonds are still feeling the effects of the groin strains they suffered last week at Telstra Dome as a result of the soft and slippery centre circle area.

Wallace would not name the fourth injured player.

But Richmond has named two medium-tall players, Jay Schulz and the almost-forgotten Shane Morrison, as emergencies along with Chris Hyde, who spent last week playing without a helmet for Coburg.

"We had a bit of a run around at the State Hockey Centre this morning and we had a few players not able to join into that session, so we've still got a little bit of work to do on our side,'' he said.

"We'll probably have four guys that are still under injury clouds coming into tomorrow night, so we'll have all our emergencies along at the game and we'll make some late decisions.''

http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/news/AFL/No-surgery-for-Richo/2005/06/17/1118869083518.html

[one-eyed]

Listening to the body
By Matthew Richardson
The Age
June 19, 2005

But in case you actually do want to know the lowdown on my knee, this is where it's at.

In round five, playing against St Kilda at Telstra Dome, I came down stiff-legged from a marking contest and hyper-extended my knee. I played out the match, but it blew up afterwards. There was bone bruising, which was a bit painful, but no structural problems.

But the following weekend against Port Adelaide, also at the Dome, I fell and landed on the same knee, causing a slight strain to the posterior cruciate ligament. There was no drama playing out the match, but ever since then there's been a build-up of fluid each week, which I've had to have drained a few times.

Which brings us to this week: the bruising's gone and the ligament's tightened up, but the lack of a rest means that the joint is still a bit inflamed. That's why having a fortnight off will come in really handy, and why I'm confident that it will be a lot easier to manage in the second half of the season.

The thing is, with niggles like this, you tend to be able to come up for each match and make your contribution; the main way it affects you is in your training and preparation, which gets slightly frustrating.

http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2005/06/18/1119034101647.html