Richmond suffered significant injuries in the club’s opening round loss to Carlton, with Jack Riewoldt suffering a suspected thumb fracture and midfielder Dion Prestia suffering a hamstring injury.
Tigers coach Damien Hardwick said after the 25-point loss that Riewoldt had a suspected thumb fracture that “possibly” required surgery, while the extent of the Prestia hamstring injury – which forced him off the field and replaced him in the second quarter – was known. . no scans on Friday.
Jack Riewoldt and Mitch McGovern.Credit:Getty Biller
Hardwick said of Riewoldt’s injury: “I think Jack broke his thumb. So we had scans to confirm that, so he left early. He struggled to keep the ball tonight.
The Richmond coach said he felt for Prestia, the best and fairest 2019 to have suffered injuries in the last two years. “It’s a hamstring, how hard are we not to be sure … it’s just disappointing, he had such a good pre-season as he had. He’s so important to the way we play. I feel like he’s barely ass [played] for, you know, two and a half years.
Hardwick said Prestia had 10 touches in the first quarter before he left. “So he’s a significant loss, big loss.
“I just feel for the kid. He’s just as important to the way we play, but the culture of our place too … we just want him up and about.”
Hardwick also stated that Carlton’s recruits Adam Cerra and George Hewett could have a similar impact on Richmond’s recruitments of Prestia, Josh Caddy and Toby Nankervis ahead of the 2017 Premiership. He spoke with his formidable new assistant, Carlton’s newly removed senior coach David Teague, about the impact of Carlton’s recruits.
“I talked to Teaguey about it all. Suddenly, they bring in Cerra. They bring in … Hewett – you know, awesome athletes, can cover the floor really well. It’s similar to the recovery of Caddy, Prestia and Nankervis. to bring in, all of a sudden, you bring in a whole new midfield, really.
Hardwick said there was “no question” Cerra, traded by Fremantle, and ex-Swan midfielder Hewett could match the impact of Richmond’s three recruits before 2017.
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