Team Tips: It’s been a tough stretch for the young Tigers, and it was compounded by the season-ending hamstring injury to No.1 pick Sam Lalor; confirmed by Richmond on Monday. And cruelly it happened just minutes into his return, and again to his left leg — the same hamstring that cruelled his draft year and the earlier portion of this season.
But in a promising corresponding development, first-round pick Taj Hotton is just about a lock to debut on Saturday night after two full VFL games in which he flashed brilliance, and he could be the direct replacement in the forward half for Lalor.
First-year forward Jasper Alger and wingman Hugo Ralphsmith were the other injury casualties from Richmond’s heavy loss, with Alger suffering a low-grade syndesmosis injury that will cost him three-to-four weeks on the sidelines and Ralphsmith to also miss the remainder of the season with a hamstring injury.
Jayden Short should return to the senior lineup after getting through the VFL side’s comeback win over Geelong unscathed, while demoted small forward Steely Green bagged three majors and should come straight back in.
Noah Balta (curfew) won’t play against Bombers as it’s an evening fixture, though his form in the past few weeks hasn’t exactly sparkled — finishing with a team-worst, negative player rating against Geelong.
Tylar Young has had some good moments in the VFL, having recovered from an ACL rupture last year, and could be an inclusion candidate for Balta — who played forward against the Cats last Saturday.
Maurice Rioli was the sub against Geelong but put in one of his better performances in recent times.
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