Richmond coach Adem Yze has advised the Tigers could take just one participant in Wednesday’s mid-season draft regardless of seemingly having 4 record spots out there.
The Tigers consider key defender Tylar Younger suffered an ACL tear within the VFL curtain-raiser to Saturday’s Dreamtime loss in opposition to Essendon.
The 25-year-old will bear scans however is ready to affix Josh Gibcus, Sam Naismith and Judson Clarke on the sidelines for the rest of the season.
It comes as Yze confirmed Shai Bolton was concussed in a final-quarter collision with teammate Mykelti Lefau and would miss the spherical 12 journey to Geelong to face the Cats.
Lefau’s raised knee struck Bolton within the neck and again of the top in a marking contest within the Tigers’ ahead line, earlier than Essendon defender Ben McKay landed behind Lefau and presumably dealt one other unintended blow to Bolton’s head.
“I hoped it is perhaps simply of whiplash or a knee within the again or shoulder, however I spoke to the (membership physician) – he’s had a concussion check and he’ll go into the protocols,” Yze mentioned after the 12-point defeat.
“Shedding him at the moment within the sport as effectively, he was trying actually harmful each time he was across the ball … this sport means a lot to him as effectively. That was unlucky.”
Yze mentioned Jack Graham was set to return from a hamstring damage in opposition to the Cats however senior on-ballers Tim Taranto (wrist) and Jacob Hopper (hamstring) wouldn’t be out there till a minimum of the week after.
He mentioned Younger’s damage within the VFL was a “unhappy one” after he had been dropped from the senior facet to regain confidence flying for marks in defence.
“He’ll be higher for it. We’ve obtained three or 4 guys that he can work with which might be going by means of the identical factor,” Yze mentioned.
Yze was tight-lipped over whether or not the Tigers would chase a key defender in Wednesday’s draft, however mentioned they have been extremely unlikely to fill each out there spot.
“I do know we will match extra, however I feel we’ll persist with the one or two, after which look to the end-of-season,” he mentioned.
“I’m not too positive (about signing a substitute key defender), Blair (Tigers record boss Blair Hartley) will undergo that within the subsequent week or so.
“Jacob Koschitzke went again within the second half to cowl for Youngy, which was good. He took eight intercept marks and obtained some confidence. We’d should throw the magnets round a bit of bit to cowl for him, however that was spectacular.”
Bringing in Koschitzke would permit Yze to maneuver Noah Balta again into the Tigers’ ahead line after they went small in opposition to Essendon so Balta might play in defence in opposition to Peter Wright.
“I want we had two of (Balta). I simply really feel like he’s a terrific risk ahead of the ball. He’s a strong athlete, they’re onerous to search out, good forwards,” Yze mentioned.
“We simply must look steady down again … he’s an enormous presence, he’s a superb chief of our footy membership, and we simply needed to strive one thing totally different.”
