Bowden battles sore knee
14 July 2004
Herald Sun
Michael Horan
RICHMOND is in danger of losing star defender Joel Bowden from an already ravaged list for its match against top side St Kilda at Telstra Dome on Saturday.
Bowden appeared only briefly on the training track at Punt Rd yesterday, restricting himself to stationary handball drills as a large elastic bandage covered a swollen right knee.
Richmond football manager Greg Hutchison conceded later Bowden had pulled up sore after the match against Essendon but was hopeful he would be right to play against the Saints.
But the talented left-footer, who was close to being the Tigers' best at the weekend when he collected 34 possessions in his side's capitulation to the Bombers, looked anything but right as he favoured his knee when walking back up the players' race.
With captain Wayne Campbell (shoulder), Rory Hilton (knee) and Matt Rogers (retired) all needing to be replaced, the Tigers can ill afford to lose Bowden against the smarting Saints.
"He did pull up sore, but the feeling is he'll be OK to play," Hutchison said.
Richmond had several youngsters shine in the Coburg Tigers' 65-point VFL win over Box Hill at the weekend.
At least two of them, Tom Roach and Brent Hartigan, seem likely to return to senior ranks.
Two more youngsters, Alex Gilmour and Andrew Raines, were named as Coburg's best but are expected remain in VFL ranks a while longer.
Gilmour booted seven goals in a damaging small forward role, while Raines, son of champion Tiger midfielder Geoff, continues his form resurgence after running around in the VFL reserves only a month ago.
Last year's best-and-fairest Mark Coughlan, missing since Round 5 because of osteitis pubis and abdominal problems, trained brightly with the senior group yesterday and will play half a game for Coburg this weekend.
Hutchison reaffirmed yesterday that despite the heavy injury toll, there was no chance Rogers would play. His retirement is final.
The best player in Saturday's clash will be awarded the inaugural Ian Stewart Medal, to honour the champion left-footer who won two Brownlow medals with the Saints and a third with Richmond after crossing to the Tigers late in his career.
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