Richmond's Coughlan re-injures knee
February 5, 2007 - 5:09PM
Richmond's 2007 AFL season has been dealt a savage blow, with midfielder Mark Coughlan forced out for the year with a knee injury.
It continues a wretched injury run for the 24-year-old.
After winning Richmond's 2003 best and fairest award as a 21-year-old, he had his 2004 season ruined by groin complaint osteitis pubis.
He then had the second half of last season wiped out when he sustained a right ACL injury in round 12, before revealing he had suffered a repeat of that injury.
"Mark came in and told the players this morning what he found out from the surgeons on Friday night," Richmond football director Greg Miller told sports radio station SEN.
"He's devastated and so are we for him, it's a real shame."
Coughlan will require another reconstruction and will miss the entire 2007 season.
Miller said it was believed the injury occurred when Coughlan slipped in the shower, although the full extent of the damage was not initially clear.
"He had a little slip in the shower before Christmas, he knows he didn't feel quite the same after that," he said.
"He's had a couple of incidents during his rehab where he was a bit concerned about it, but this latest one he didn't feel right during January.
"He kept training, he's such a determined bugger, he thought he'd be okay.
"On examination they think the right thing to do is to go inside and fix the ACL again."Miller said the sentiments of the players, currently on a training camp at Phillip Island, were of sympathy for Coughlan, rather than concern about the effect his absence would have on their 2007 prospects.
"They've seen him work through osteo, they've seen him work so hard, they know what he's like, he's a real role model for our footy club, for younger players, the way he goes about his whole life," he said.
"Our initial thoughts are for him, but we want to help him through this."
He said Coughlan was likely to be offered a role in the coaching box during 2007.
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