Richmond perfectly primed for preliminary final with Sydney Stack pushing for selection
Rising Star contender Sydney Stack could make a surprise late-season return as the Tigers assess the success of their dual ruck combination and the impact of another two-week break.
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Premiership favourite Richmond will give Sydney Stack every chance to make a bold bid for finals selection with the Tigers perfectly placed to surge into their second Grand Final in three years.
Richmond flew back into Melbourne on Sunday with a 13-day break ahead that will allow Daniel Rioli and Nathan Broad to overcome minor injuries.
Both rolled ankles during the 47-point qualifying final rout of Brisbane, but football boss Neil Balme said they were in no doubt for Friday week’s preliminary final.
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Only Alex Rance (ACL), Jack Higgins (brain surgery) and Stack are on the club’s injury list as it rides a 10-win streak in which only West Coast has got within 27 points of the Tigers.
Richmond is now the $2.35 premiership favourite with TAB after Dustin Martin’s extraordinary haul where teammate Shane Edwards said it felt like he kicked every one of the Tigers’ goals.
It was the most goals in a final since Steve Johnson’s bag of six in the 2017 semi-final, and you have to go back to Lance Franklin’s eight goals in the 2008 qualifying final for a bigger September bag.
Balme said the Tigers were genuinely optimistic Stack, who finished third in the Rising Star award off 17 games, could at least push for selection after a remarkable recovery from high-ankle surgery.
“He is running this week and he is certainly coming on even better than we thought he might,” he said.
“The doctor is conservative and he is really pleased with him. Initially we might have believed there was no hope, but there is at least some chance.
“We won’t be silly about it, but he is going well. He will train this week but we are not sure how much he will do and when he does change-of-direction (drills).”
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Rioli had surgery on his left ankle after injuring it during the 2017 Grand Final but Balme said Saturday night’s issue was a simple ankle roll, with the goalsneak returning to the field.
Toby Nankervis also pulled up well on his AFL return after groin issues and the Nankervis-Ivan Soldo ruck tandem got better as the game wore on.
Soldo had 11 hitouts to advantage — the second-best return in his short career after his 17 against Hawthorn in Round 9 — and Nankervis seven.
The Tigers will still assess that combination entering the preliminary final, but if they take on West Coast they will both be needed against Eagles ruck pair Nic Naitanui and Tom Hickey.
Richmond’s VFL side will play in a preliminary final against Port Melbourne next Saturday afternoon, another bonus to allow depth players to push their chances.
It means the likes of Marlion Pickett and Dan Butler will again attempt to break into the Tigers side after excellent form in the VFL qualifying final.
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The Tigers had dispensation for Noah Balta to take part in that VFL qualifying final after playing in the senior side in Round 23, but he wasn’t fit to play.
They are unlikely to ask that question of the VFL again as the AFL teams trains as normal over the next fortnight.
The Tigers were jumped against Collingwood in last year’s preliminary final after just one game from August 23 (Round 23) to the September 21 loss to the Pies.
But West Coast had the same break and beat Melbourne in the preliminary final by 66 points, showing no signs of rust despite the light playing schedule.
Originally published as Richmond perfectly primed for preliminary final with Sydney Stack pushing for selection