Brown could return after break
6:56 PM Fri 15 June, 2007
Brought to you by AAP
Richmond star Nathan Brown will be rested from the VFL this weekend to keep him fresh for what could be a long-awaited AFL comeback against Melbourne on June 22.
Brown, who has returned from injury through the Coburg reserves and then the Coburg senior side in the past two weeks, is yet to play for Richmond in the 2007 home and away season.
He was withdrawn from the Tigers' side before the opening round because of soreness in the leg he broke in a sickening incident more than two years ago.
But Richmond football manager Paul Armstrong said Brown was hopeful of making his return against the Demons in what would be his first senior match since round 17 last season, more than 10 months ago.
"It's all progressing fine and hopefully by next Thursday night he's got through all the training and then it becomes a selection issue," Armstrong said of Brown's recovery.
He said there had been no further pain as a result of Brown playing two matches in the past fortnight.
But the scheduling of Coburg's match on Sunday against Frankston, only five days before Richmond plays Melbourne, prompted the decision to rest him.
"Given that we're being very careful with the way he's come back and given it's a Sunday game, to ask him to back up would be too much, given the amount of time he's had off and he's had only two games," Armstrong said.
"He wants to make himself available for Friday night so he's trained today and he'll train next week in preparation for playing on Friday night."
Richmond have this weekend off because of the AFL's split round.
http://richmondfc.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/6301/Default.aspx?newsId=45110
