Richmond star Alex Rance not giving up playing again in 2019 after scans confirm ACL injury

Alex Rance says there is a chance he could play this year, with the five-time All-Australian defender not ready to ­accept the standard 12-month recovery period after scans showed he needs an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Richmond is expecting Alex Rance will miss the rest of the season due to a knee injury. Picture: Michael Dodge.

Alex Rance says there is a chance he could play this year, despite scans showing he needs an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Rance collapsed in pain during the third quarter of Richmond’s 33-point win over Carlton on Thursday night after landing awkwardly in a marking contest.

But the five-time All-Australian defender, who hasn’t missed a game with injury since 2014, is not ready to ­accept the standard 12-month recovery period.

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An Instagram post from the AFL’s official ­account yesterday stated: “Richmond has confirmed Alex Rance will miss the ­remainder of the ­season with a ruptured ACL.” Rance corrected it in a comment underneath, writing: “* likely miss”.

Surgery is earmarked for next week.

It’s understood early indications are it is a clean tear of the ACL with no collateral damage to the right knee.

Rance needs only go back to last season for inspiration. Collingwood’s Tyson Goldsack made an AFL comeback six months after ­March reconstructive surgery.

Richmond football manager Neil Balme, however, said there were no expectations on Rance’s return date.

Paddy McCartin is among those to send Alex Rance his best wishes. Pic: Michael Klein

“None of this is predicated on him playing at the end of the season, we’re just letting it happen,” Balme said.

“They’ll do the best job they can, he’ll recover as quickly as he can, and he’ll play as soon as he can.

“But we’re not expecting it to be this year.

“We haven’t contemplated it and we’re not talking about it. We’re only worried about repairing it and it’s just about his welfare at the minute.”

Maccas’s view.

Some of Rance’s teammates were in tears in the rooms on Thursday night, but Rance was a picture of positivity after the game and again yesterday.

“He’s a very unusual bloke. Very strong, very resilient and behaves in a way you don’t expect,” Balme said. “Knowing him he’ll have a bit of a break, but he’ll want to influence (the team), no doubt about that.”

Rance said he had been inundated with “amazing outreaches of love”, with Dale Thomas, Travis Boak, Scott Pendlebury and Callan Ward among those to pass on their well wishes.

“It really does show that there’s a lot of family in footy and, as much as we’re competitors and fierce rivals, there’s still so much love,” Rance said. “Nobody wants to see anyone go down, and I really do appreciate that.

“It is what it is. There’s injuries in footy all the time, and I’m just grateful I have the life I have and the people around me that I do.”

West Coast last year shocked the competition by winning the premiership without star duo Nic Naitanui (injured) and Andrew Gaff (suspended), and Rance called on his teammates to get on with it.

“One man doesn’t make a team,” he said.

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Richmond star Alex Rance requires a knee reconstruction after confirmation he has ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament.

Rance had scans this morning in which the club’s worst fears were realised.

He will meet a surgeon later today with a view to having the reconstruction performed in the coming days.

The Tigers had been bracing for the bad news, with footy manager Neil Balme acknowledging the 29-year-old’s positive outlook despite the diagnosis.

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“We’re really disappointed for Alex that he’ll spend an extended period of time out of the game, he’s a wonderful player and fantastic leader of our team,” Balme said.

“Alex, to his credit, has been incredibly positive since the injury occurred, and we’ll continue to rally around him in the coming days and throughout his rehab process.

"Initial signs don't look too good."

- Rance#AFLBluesTigers pic.twitter.com/KpSKLbonKx

— 7AFL (@7AFL) March 21, 2019

“While we’ll miss his on-field contribution this season, we know he’ll apply the same dedication and discipline to his rehab and recovery, and we will continue to provide our ongoing support to him.”

Speaking this morning as he headed in for scans, Rance - who said the deflating blow was “still pretty raw” - was resigned to missing the remainder of 2019 but thanked fans and rival players for an outpouring of support.

“I’ve had some amazing outreaches of love,” Rance told reporters.

“Daisy Thomas, Paddy McCartin, Scott Pendlebury, Trav Boak, Cal Ward … there’s been a heap more, sorry if I’ve missed anybody who reached out.

Wishing the best for Alex Rance. He is an absolute class act as shown after the game last night. One of the best players on and off the field. Wishing a speedy recovery for one of the greats.
🙏🙏🙏🙏

— Mason Cox (@masonsixtencox) 22 March 2019

“It really does show that there’s a lot of family in footy, and as much as we’re competitors and fierce rivals, there’s still so much love. Nobody wants to see anyone go down and I really do appreciate that. I know my teammates love and care for me, so I’m very grateful for that.”

Tigers coach Damien Hardwick said his “heart sank” when told it was suspected Rance, a five-time All Australian, had damaged the ACL in his right knee.

Hardwick said some of Rance’s teammates were in tears after the match.

Alex Rance leaves the ground on crutches after Richmond’s win. Picture: Julian Smith.

Alex Rance is comforted by teammate Jack Riewoldt. Picture: Michael Klein

“It’s a suspected ACL at this point which is incredibly disappointing. We’ll cross our fingers … but it’s dire at the moment,” Hardwick said.

“But a measure of the man, you wouldn’t know it by his demeanour, he’s such an incredible person first and foremost. But he’s an incredible player and you hate to see those players go out of the game.

“Even when he went down, I didn’t see it, I didn’t want to look. Your heart just sinks, you have been through a lot with this guy, been through a journey, then to have it taken away from you in round one, it is disappointing.

“We walk away with four points but we certainly walk away disappointed we lost a warrior.

Rance conceded after the match that initial signs “weren’t good”.

“I will find out the severity. The initial signs don’t look too good,” he told Channel 7.

“But I’m in a great team, we’ve got a great culture and I don’t have too much to be sad about.”

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Alex Rance has been helped from the ground and is receiving treatment in the rooms.#AFLBluesTigers pic.twitter.com/lZPElxc6W2

— AFL (@AFL) March 21, 2019

On crutches with his knee packed in ice, Rance was comforted by every teammate in the rooms after the Tigers’ season opening 33-point win over the Blues.

Hardwick said the loss of Rance it presented a massive challenge for the Tigers, but not one they couldn’t overcome.

Alex Rance grimaces after sustaining a knee injury which is expected to end his season. Picture: Michael Klein

“He’s a champion of the game, one of the best fullbacks I have ever seen. But sides have shown in h history, last year West Coast, Natanui goes down, these things can be overcome,” he said.

“It’s disappointing to lose such a fantastic payer but it also provides an opportunity for someone else to get some games under their belt. We get to find a player.

“Are they going to be Alex Rance’s standard? They are not going to be straight away. It’s very hard to replace an Alex Rance.”

Hardwick said the playing group would rally around Rance, and each other, to focus on the challenge ahead.

“Our group are very mentally strong in a lot of these areas. They have a good program in place which helps them deal with these situations.

“They accept it, they acknowledge it, and they move on. That’s not to say they don’t feel pain, we’ve got guys in tears knowing they have lost a comrade possibly for 12 months. It’s incredibly difficult. We’ll work our way through it.

Hardwick nominated Ryan Garthwaite as a possible replacement for Rance, possibly even as soon as next week’s clash with Collingwood. .

“He’s probably the guy that first comes to mind,” he said.

“We’ll look at him, and we might juggle a few things around.”