By Marc McGowan and Jon Pierik
In today’s AFL Briefing, your daily wrap of footy news
- Richmond spearhead Tom Lynch will not be part of the Tigers’ opening round reunion with former coach Damien Hardwick’s new club Gold Coast next month.
- Melbourne star Clayton Oliver has yet to rejoin teammates in full training, and is in doubt for opening round.
- St Kilda utility Ben Paton is expected to miss about three months after rupturing his left pectoral tendon.
Tigers spearhead out of opening round reunion with Hardwick
Marc McGowan
Richmond spearhead Tom Lynch will not be part of the Tigers’ opening-round reunion with former coach Damien Hardwick’s new club Gold Coast next month.
Damien Hardwick in their time together at Richmond.Credit: Eddie Jim
Lynch will instead set his sights on playing five days later against Carlton in Richmond’s traditional season opener on March 14, but hinted there was even a chance he might not be ready until round two, when Adem Yze’s men host Port Adelaide at the MCG.
The 31-year-old has undergone multiple foot surgeries in a “frustrating” period since last playing in round four last season, and his absence was a major reason Richmond failed to make the finals.
“All things are tracking well, [but] I’ve clearly missed a lot of football,” Lynch said.
“I need to get some good training under my belt and some of that football conditioning. We don’t want to rush back. We want to get as many games this year as we can, and if I miss opening round, so be it.
“My foot and bone’s completely healed – it’s just getting conditioning [that it needs]. Clearly, I haven’t run for nine months, so I need to get a lot of miles back in my leg. If we wanted to really push, we’d get up for that round zero, but we want to get myself playing the whole year ... I’ll be cherry ripe once I get out there.”
Lynch said there would not be a management plan, such as sitting out the odd game, once he did return to the field.
Noah Balta will start the new season up forward.Credit: AFL Photos
The Tigers are set to roll out a new-look attack in the post-Jack Riewoldt era in 2024, with first-year coach Yze reviving Hardwick’s past experiment of playing usual defender Noah Balta up forward.
Ex-Hawthorn recruit Jacob Koschitzke appears to have the inside running on the other key-position spot, with Samson Ryan also an option to help Lynch kick a winning score.
“Noah’s been really good. He’s trained well, and obviously, we got ‘Kosi’ in from Hawthorn, and he’s doing a great job, and they’ve been able to get a lot of training under the belt together and are forming a really good partnership so far,” Lynch said.
“Noah is a great talent. He’s at the point in his career where I feel like he’s going to take the next step and really develop into a consistent player.
“At his best, we know how good a player he is. He’s played a bit of forward, [but] he’s predominantly played his career down back. ‘Ooze’ (Yze) really likes him forward and pitching in, in the ruck, where he can use that athleticism and power.”
Lynch, a former Sun, would have liked to play in the club’s first clash with Hardwick, and was full of praise for the triple premiership coach.
“Dimma’s had a massive impact on my life and certainly Richmond Football Club,” he said.
“He’s an incredible coach but obviously, he’s gone to the Gold Coast. It would have been great to play against him, and it will obviously be different, but we know at footy clubs, you have to move on pretty quickly. Guys come and go every year, that’s the nature of the business.”
There is intrigue about how the Tigers will perform under Yze, particularly after winning only 10 games and slumping to 13th place last season.
Koschitzke was the sole trade-period addition after Richmond recruited ex-Giants Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper on seven-year deals in 2022.
Those acquisitions played a role in the club not making its first pick in last year’s draft until No.40.
“At this time of year, everyone feels like they’re going really well. We feel like we’ve had a great pre-season,” Lynch said.
“‘Ooze’ [has taken over] and we’ve got ‘Newy’ [Chris Newman] and ‘Ziebs’ [Jack Ziebell] come in as new coaches, and they’ve brought some fresh ideas, and I think it’s really got the boys excited and energised, so we’ll put no ceiling on it.
“We’ve got a bit of work to do.
“Last year, we clearly didn’t make finals, so we’ve been working our arses off to try and get back, and we’ll see how we go … the proof will be in the pudding.”
The Tigers and Collingwood announced on Tuesday that they would play in an annual pre-season “charity shield” match to raise money for Foodbank. Members must upgrade to a paid ticket to enter and the match will be fully ticketed as part of the fundraising effort.
‘He is one of us’: Oliver in race to return for season-opener
Jon Pierik
Melbourne star Clayton Oliver has yet to rejoin teammates in full training, and is in doubt for opening round, but a fresh Demons’ draftee is wowing teammates.
On the way back: Clayton Oliver is still confined to the rehabilitation group after returning to the Demons.Credit: Getty Images
Demons premiership gun Christian Petracca said on Tuesday Oliver was still in the rehabilitation group, having only returned to the club last week after an extended period dealing with personal issues.
“No, he will integrate soon,” Petracca said when asked whether Oliver was back in full training.
“But it’s really nice to see him back with us boys and being around us.”
Oliver has been confined to ball work and has trained by himself while away from the club.
Petracca, who was at Marvel Stadium to promote next Monday’s Super Bowl live site, said he did not know if Oliver would be fit for the Community Series clash against Carlton at Ikon Park on February 28, or the opening round clash with the Swans at the SCG on March 7.
The four-time club champion has dealt with health issues and has had his off-field behaviour, and professionalism, scrutinised.
Before returning to the club last Wednesday, he had not trained with teammates since December 18, having left a team camp in Lorne to deal with health issues.
Petracca said on Tuesday that Oliver, under contract until 2030, had not been a distraction for the rest of the group.
“I feel like the club has done a really good job over the last few months at managing everything. When he comes into the team, he is one of us, and we treat him like one of us,” Petracca said.
Oliver’s absence meant he also fell behind on learning an updated game plan, and will need time to dissect the changes, as outlined by Demons’ football boss Alan Richardson last week.
“When you have been away from the club for a few months, obviously, there are few things we have improved on and are trying to get better at. He is a pretty good player. He will come up to speed with that when he comes in,” Petracca said.
The triple All-Australian had a hamstring issue last season and was restricted to 15 games, but returned before finals. He was later the subject of trade speculation, but the Demons ultimately did not seek a deal.
Tinkering: Christian Petracca says the Demons did not need to overhaul their game plan despite successive September failures.Credit: Getty Images
A fit and healthy Oliver remains central to the Demons’ hopes of not wasting what shaped as a premiership era, having had a straight sets exit from the past two finals campaigns since their 2021 flag.
Draftee Caleb Windsor, the No.7 pick from the Eastern Ranges in last year’s national draft, has impressed through the pre-season with his speed and decision-making.
“He is flying … he is going really, really well. He has really impressed us on the wing. Hopefully, in a practice match next week, there is a chance for him to play,” Petracca said.
The Demons’ forward line has been described as “makeshift-ish” by Hawthorn premiership great Dermott Brereton, while the experiment last year with former Magpie Brodie Grundy did not work. Grundy is now with the Swans.
The Demons have taken great pride in their defence and contest work, with key statistics reinforcing this, but fans have called for greater ball movement and freedom to attack through the corridor.
“I wouldn’t say it’s the No.1 thing [we need to improve],” Petracca replied when questioned about the Demon’s ball use forward of centre.
“We are a very good team. We have to keep focusing on our strengths, which is our contest and defence, that’s what gets us into those positions each year.
“The last few years have, obviously, been frustrating, with our losses and stuff, but I am a pretty optimistic person, I see that as ways to improve and get better.”
Petracca said the Demons hope Harrison Petty, who resisted a strong offer from Adelaide, will be a key marking tall, working alongside leading goal-kicker Bayley Fritsch.
Saints lose Paton for three months
Jon Pierik
St Kilda utility Ben Paton is expected to miss about three months after rupturing his left pectoral tendon. Paton was hurt at training on Monday.
“This is, obviously, a disappointing blow for Ben,” Saints’ football chief David Misson said.
“Sadly, this isn’t the first time Ben has dealt with a lengthy injury setback having broken his tibia and fibula in 2021. However, he proved that he has the resilience and strength to overcome such adversity.”
Former Blue Paddy Dow is at least a fortnight away from resuming full training, having taken a knock to his knee last week.
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