Richmond have confirmed the unwanted news that No.1 draft selection Sam Lalor will miss the rest of the season due to a further hamstring injury.
Lalor returned to the field on Saturday to take on Geelong but was subbed out of the contest in the early stages of the match due to another strain.
The teenager has been limited to 11 games this year due to a previous hamstring injury and a broken jaw, with his most recent ailment a repeat of his past soft-tissue setback.
The club confirmed the blow on Monday, with Lalor and the Tigers to consult a surgeon in the near future.
โWe are all devastated for the young man, and I am sure our fans are too,โ Richmond High-Performance Manager Ben Serpell said.
โAfter a strong, meticulous rehab, unfortunately, he did re-injure his hamstring. It is his third time on that hamstring and the second (occasion) with us.
โThe injury mechanism here for Sam this time was very different to his original injury mechanism.
โHe sustained the injury in a tackle. I think anyone who throws their body at the game (in the same way) as he did, and credit to him for doing that, is going to put their body at some risk irrespective of their injury history.
โWe are a bit concerned about the integrity of the hamstring structure.
โAs part of that we will consult a few surgeons over the next little while to see if there is some surgical intervention available for us.โ
Lalor's injury adds to setbacks for fellow first-round picks Josh Smillie (hamstring) and Harry Armstrong (hamstring), while first-year Tiger Taj Hotton recently returned to the field from an ACL injury sustained in his draft campaign.
Last year's Pick 1 selection did have an enjoyable start to his time at AFL level, playing a key role in the club's Round 1 upset over Carlton to take out the first Rising Star nomination of the year.
Lalor has kicked 11 goals in as many games this year, including multiple goals against the Blues, Lions, Roos and Bombers, to catch the eye as a midfield-forward hybrid.
