A hamstring injury has again hindered Richmond veteran Dion Prestia, while young Tiger Josh Gibcus' night also came to an abrupt end after a worrying knee injury.
Prestia was subbed out of Thursday's Round 1 clash with Carlton at the first break after reporting a hamstring issue. The midfielder, who dealt with a hamstring issue in the lead-up to the start of the season, was subbed out of the game and replaced by Rhyan Mansell as the Tigers held an 11-point lead at quarter-time.
The injury adds to an extensive history of soft-tissue setbacks for the triple-premiership midfielder, who sustained a hamstring in the back end of the pre-season during an intra-club session.
A minor hamstring strain would likely place Prestia out of action for at least a fortnight, while a medium strain would likely require close to a month on the sidelines.
Rhyan Mansell has been subbed into the match at quarter time for Dion Prestia (hamstring).#AFLBluesTigers | #gotiges
— Richmond FC 🐯 (@Richmond_FC) March 14, 2024
Gibcus landed awkwardly on his right knee following a marking contest during the second term and was seen clutching his leg as medical trainers arrived to help the young defender.
After some time, Gibcus was stretchered off the field, with concerns the former first-round draft pick could miss the rest of the season after being sidelined for the entirety of 2023 with a hamstring issue.
It's a suspected ACL at the moment. We'll get an MRI tomorrow," Richmond football boss Tim Livingstone told Channel 7.
"The poor kid deserves a break. He battled through all last year with his head up. It doesn't look good at the moment."
Thoughts with Josh Gibcus 😔
Only a week after returning from a hamstring injury that ruled him out of the entire 2023 season, he appears to have suffered a serious knee injury.#AFLBluesTigers pic.twitter.com/N9PRjzgJde
— 7AFL (@7AFL) March 14, 2024
Key defender Tylar Young did not return for the start of the second half, having required a head injury assessment, which subsequently ruled out the backman from returning to the field.
The failed concussion test will mean Young enters the AFL's protocols and will miss next week's clash with Port Adelaide at the very least.
His absence, coupled with Gibcus' injury, left Tigers pair Dylan Grimes and Nathan Broad to take on Coleman Medal winners Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay against the Blues.
Swingman Noah Balta floated across all three lines of the field and was called to play a defensive role before moving back into attack.
The trio of injuries come as onballer Jack Graham recovers from a quad strain sustained in Richmond's pre-season clash with Melbourne last month. Graham is eyeing a return close to Round 4 when the Tigers head to Gather Round to face St Kilda in Adelaide.
Richmond's new two games come at the MCG against Port Adelaide and Sydney before making the trip to South Australia to face the Saints.
