Richmond are confident star forward Tom Lynch won't be sidelined for their finals return in a fortnight after the Tigers' spearhead suffered a groin complaint in Saturday night's 66-point win over Essendon.
The injury soured a dominant display for both the Tigers and Lynch at the MCG, with the 29-year-old booting five goals to earn a likely second spot in the Coleman Medal race behind Blues forward Charlie Curnow.
While the win has further strengthened Richmond's premiership bid as they await to learn their opening post-season opponents, Lynch will undergo scans on a niggling groin issue that saw the tall forward subbed out of his side's Round 23 clash.
While the ailment is sure to have left Tiger fans nervous, Lynch revealed post-game he was confident the injury wouldn't keep him sidelined for long.
โI think Iโll be fine," he toldย Channel 7.
"The week off definitely helps. If we were playing next week it would be a bit harder.
โWeโll know more tomorrow, but fingers crossed it will be fine.โ
Lynch will undergo scans on Sunday as the club braces for the diagnosis, hoping their star forward's injury-hampered 2022 season hasn't been extended further.
The former Suns star has missed four matches this season with a hamstring injury, an issue that heavily impacted his pre-season preparations.
Tigers coach Damien Hardwick revealed after the game that club medical staff took the precautionary approach after Lynch's groin "flared up".
"Itโs just groin soreness at this stage,โ Hardwick told reporters.
โIn the third quarter it flared up. Weโll have a better understanding come tomorrow once he gets some scans.
โIt was one of those ones where he was playing pretty well so I wanted him to stay out there, but the doctors thought theyโd call it.
โItโs never a good sign when a guy finishes the game on the bench but weโre reasonably confident heโll get up. Weโll confirm that tomorrow.โ
The Tigers are likely to face one of Collingwood or Brisbane in an away elimination final for the opening week of finals.
