AFL round 7: All the injury, MRO news and analysis

Richmond has investigated the reasons behind the injury carnage which has derailed its start under new coach Adem Yze. Meanwhile, Marlion Pickett’s MRO penalty for a strike on Clayton Oliver can be revealed.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – APRIL 24: Jacob Hopper of the Tigers is seen to by medical staff during the 2024 AFL Round 07 match between the Richmond Tigers and the Melbourne Demons at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on April 24, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Richmond believes its horrific run of injuries in a one-win season is down to bad luck rather than poor management as Marlion Pickett was fined $6250 for his stomach punch on Clayton Oliver.

Richmond star Jacob Hopper is sweating on scan results after the first hamstring strain of his career as his stint at the Tigers continues to be plagued by repeat injuries.

The Tigers are still hopeful he might miss three weeks at a maximum.

Tigers coach Adem Yze said Hopper’s determination to remain on the field to test his injured hamstring as he hoped a tight tape job on his injured left knee had been the issue rather than muscle damage.

Young forward Judson Clarke returned to the ground after a knee issue in the VFL recently then tore his ACL slipping while kicking for goal.

But while the Tigers injury list is horrific Richmond has reviewed the damage across the season and is aware at least nine of those injuries have been collision-based.

Clarke’s knee was fully tested by a Richmond medico and given the all-clear before he slipped and tore a graft from an earlier knee reconstruction in his junior career.

Hopper’s injury means he has played only 26 games since the start of 2022 amid three knee surgeries, achilles tendinitis and calf issues, with the midfielder visibly distressed to tear his hamstring.

Jacob Hopper shows his frustration after injuring a hamstring in the third quarter on Wednesday night. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Richmond is hopeful Jayden Short (calf) could be available against Fremantle next week but he is no certain starter, with Noah Balta (knee) and Dion Prestia (hamstring) likely two weeks away.

Pickett was handed a $6250 fine rather than suspension for his stomach punch to Melbourne’s Clayton Oliver amid outcry over the continuing spate of punches.

As a second offence in 12 months that fine increases but he can accept a $3750 fine with a guilty plea.

The AFL’s rationale in not suspending players for stomach punches is that it is still changing behaviour with significant fines.

It believes few players commit those kinds of offences twice given the fines system and increasing fines for second and third offences.

'They are not happy at all'

Marlion Pickett ignites a scuffle after hitting Clayton Oliver.

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A third offence in 12 months sees a player handed a $10,000 fine ($6250 with a guilty plea).

Collingwood’s Scott Pendlebury received one of the few fines of his AFL career for a stomach punch on Lachie Neale earlier this year but the league does not believe a player should miss a Grand Final for a stomach punch so chooses to fine players for body contact.

Yze said he would not be seeking to curtail Pickett’s aggression because he had some “white line fever” that made him a competitor as he effectively tagged Christian Petracca from a wing.

Post-match Yze said he did not think Hopper made his hamstring issue worse by playing on as he stretched out in the middle of the ground in a Tigers chain of possession but then pulled up short.

“I don’t think he made it worse,” Yze said.

“I think it’s one of the first games that he’s played with tape on his knee, so we originally thought it was something to do with the tape and whether the tape was too tight and things like that. And he hasn’t hurt his hammy before, so he tried to stay out there and run it out.

“I think the fact that he had a taped knee made it a little bit uncomfortable. It’s disappointing for the guy because he put a power of work in, trained really hard, made sure that he was ready to play. I just feel sorry for him. Hopefully it’s not a bad one, but I think it’s just a minor tweak. Hopefully it is a short term.”

Originally published as AFL round 7: All the injury, MRO news and analysis