Here's the audio of Hickey and Cameron's press conference
http://www.sportsentral.com/pro/main/storyreader.aspx?sid=10383&sr=all* Past 12-months had hamstring tendonitis. On and off last season and continued this season. Has continued to play well despite at times in the 2nd half of last year he was really struggling with it.
* Last week came off with buttock injury. Richo felt the glut injury was different from the above on-going condition. MRI confirmed it was a glut (strain in the obterator internus (sp?) ). Small muscle. Non-common injury. 15 past cases of rugby players didn't miss a game due to it.
* By midweek the buttock pain was gone an felt good before the game.. Just had the niggling hammy tendonitis. Had an acute incident early on in the game in a different region - ie. in the hammy. We felt it was an aggravation of the tendonitis.
* As for going back on the ground - difficult to stop a guy who is desperate to get back out there. He did a job and was able to function although not as his best. He didn't do any further damage to it. The scan yesterday showed the tear in the hammy tendon.
* It was clear it was an aggravation but in the past he has been able to get back out there and get 3 Brownlow votes. When he says he wants to get back out there you have to give him a lot of respect.
* Asked about public perception being that the club stuffed up playing him in the first place. Cameron said we've been through what happened. Confident the right decision was made and the injury is seperate from the one done against North. Backs out medical and fitness staff. Richo trained fully by Wednesday. Hickey confirmed it's the same leg as the buttock injury.
* Richo is desperate to comeback. Hickey confident he'll come back if not this year then definitely the next. Joint injuries and constant soft tissue injuries are what end careers. Apart from this injury his body is in great nick. This time off may give his tendonitis problem time to settle down and it may even prolong his career. So no shutting of the book yet.
* Cameron said the injury isn't career ending. Expect him to come back towards the end of the year. Up to his mind whether he wants to go on and we'll sit down with him at the end of the year but talking to him today he is keen to go on.
* Cameron said we won't be answering match committee decisions today.