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Richmond recruits Shaun Hampson and Chris Yarran racing the clock to be fit for Round 1SAM EDMUND
Herald Sun
February 10, 2016 8:00pmRICHMOND’S Carlton cast-offs are in major doubt for the Round 1 clash against their old side, with Chris Yarran and Shaun Hampson still not training with the main group.
Yarran (calf) and Hampson (ankle) have endured frustrating pre-seasons and remain on modified training programs only eight days out from the Tigers’ opening NAB Challenge.
Yarran, traded by the Blues for pick 19 in last year’s exchange period, has suffered a string of soft tissue injuries and remains well short of match fitness.
Tigers football manager Dan Richardson said the club wouldn’t be pressured into over-hyping its stand-alone season-opener against the Blues on March 24.
“(Yarran) is playing his old team, but we didn’t recruit him just to play against Carlton in Round 1,” Richardson said.
“He’s still in the modified group, but he’s improving so hopefully over next few weeks he can join in main training. His calf is OK, it’s probably now about getting the right level of conditioning into him.”
Richardson said Richmond was “happy enough” with Yarran’s condition after the Christmas break before the problems started.
“We were really looking to get him right into it and that’s when he had a bit of calf trouble and that’s what has set him back a bit,” he said.
“Certainly there’s been one or two strains, but another couple may have just been tightness. They can be a bit hard to read, calves.”
Hampson, whose ankle issues restricted him to only four senior games in 2015, is slowly recovering from reconstructive surgery on both ankles.
“He’s hard to put a time-frame on, like ‘Yaz’, but he’s getting closer to returning to the full group,” he said.
“I wouldn’t say he’s had complications because the ankle took a while and naturally when you have an injury like that the muscles around the area can take longer.”
Yarran and Hampson’s injury issues are in stark contrast to dual All-Australian defender Alex Rance, whose extended break has taken him from potential retiree to reinvigorated leader.
Richmond’s reigning best and fairest didn’t return to Punt Road until early January after an American holiday with his wife.
“I think he appreciates the extra time off and he’s done the right thing by him and us in terms of the condition he’s come back in,” Richardson said.
“Certainly when players have earned absolute trust ... I think it’s fair for that to be factored in.
“But he’s come back and hasn’t missed a beat, touch wood.”
Youngster Nathan Drummond, who ripped his ACL in his first AFL game last season, is on track for an April return.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/richmond-recruits-shaun-hampson-and-chris-yarran-racing-the-clock-to-be-fit-for-round-1/news-story/15f0350e4a0faa88bb5eebffaf91d3a7
