Richmond veteran midfielder Dion Prestia has suffered a hamstring strain in his left leg during training this week, ruling him out of both practice matches.
Prestia was sent for scans that revealed a minor strain, but the club remains confident that he remains in contention for Round 1 against Carlton.
The Tigers are set to face Essendon at the NEC Hangar on Friday, February 20, before a clash with Melbourne a week later at Mars Stadium in Ballarat.
"Dion will not be available for our games against Essendon (February 20) or Melbourne (February 27)," Richmond EGM of Football Performance Tim Livingstone said.
"It is disappointing for Dion, who has had an uninterrupted pre-season to this point and finished last year strongly with his performances across 12 games in succession.
"He will be back running in the next day or two, and we are confident that we will see him back on the field in the near future."
The three-time premiership player hasn't played a full season since 2019, dealing with a long history of persistent soft-tissue problems.
Prestia played 12 and 13 games in the past two seasons, but remained on board with the rebuilding Tigers for a 10th campaign in the yellow and black.
The former Sun signed a one-year deal late last year to help assist with the club's rebuild, helping guide the next generation.
