Tigers ease load on sore YarranHerald-Sun
January 22, 2016RICHMOND has scaled back Chris Yarran’s pre-season training load to help combat a niggling calf problem.
The Tigers’ star recruit has been on light duties in recent weeks to ensure the slick ball-carrier will be ready for the club’s traditional season-opener against Yarran’s former club, Carlton.
Richmond yesterday confirmed the 25-year-old had been dealing with calf soreness and had recently joined the rehabilitation group.
The former Blue has also been hit by an illness over summer.
While Yarran is expected to return to main training in the coming weeks, he could be kept in cotton wool for the club’s opening NAB Challenge game against Fremantle in Mandurah in four weeks’ time.
Yarran is more likely to return to the selection frame for pre-season games Hawthorn on February 27 and Port Adelaide on March 10.
Richmond wants the linebreaker to complete a solid block of training to improve his conditioning in time for an emotional meeting against his former side Carlton on March 24 at the MCG.
The Tigers have vowed to take no risks with the man they nabbed in one of the biggest moves of last year’s trade period, swapping pick No.19 for the dazzling utility.
Richmond believe the speedster will be a valuable long-term player for the club, despite a disappointing season at Carlton last year, finishing outside the top 10 of the Blues’ best and fairest.
Yarran’s speed and polish will provide coach Damien Hardwick with one of his most damaging and versatile weapons as the Tigers attempt to join the genuine premiership contenders this season.
Yarran played 119 games over seven seasons at the Blues but requested a trade after falling out of favour and being dropped to the VFL several times last season.
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