Richmond will miss Jack Graham’s presence on the field for at least a month as he picked up a quad injury during Tuesday night’s practice match against Collingwood, requiring assistance from trainers.
Graham had to leave the field in the final moments of the match, and initially, there was hope it was just cramping. However, scans revealed a moderate quad strain, sidelining him for the next 3-5 weeks.
Adding to Richmond’s injury concerns, Tom Lynch is already out with a foot injury, and there are doubts over Toby Nankervis due to a foot problem as well. This leaves the Tigers without key players for the start of the season, as they face ex-coach Damien Hardwick’s Gold Coast.
Collingwood also faced injury worries with Bobby Hill and Tom Mitchell nursing complaints after the match. However, the Magpies are confident they’ll be available for their upcoming game against GWS.
Nathan Kreuger suffered a suspected hamstring injury during the VFL match, complicating his bid for an early-season call-up. Meanwhile, Collingwood’s performance saw standout displays from Patrick Lipinski, Jordan De Goey, and Nick Daicos, while Richmond’s Jayden Short, Thomson Dow, and Tim Taranto showed their prowess.
Looking ahead, Collingwood will face GWS in a rematch of the preliminary final, while Richmond will take on Gold Coast.