AFL premiers Richmond to miss several big names in Queensland hub

The Tigers claimed their first win in a month in Melbourne on Sunday but face a massive challenge ahead with injured and absent stars.

Courtney Walsh

3 min read

8:21PMJuly 05, 2020

Richmond star Bachar Houli, right, tries to spoil Melbourne’s Jack Viney in Sunday’s match at the MCG. Picture: Michael Klein

Richmond premiership players Bachar Houli and Shane Edwards are the highest-profile footballers to opt out of an interstate hub with every Victorian club to depart the AFL heartland by Monday.

When the final siren sounded at the MCG at 5.50pm on Sunday in the clash between Richmond and Melbourne, it brought an end to football in Victoria until next month at the earliest.

Reigning premier Richmond claimed its first win since the season resumed when defeating Melbourne by 27 points in wintry conditions but it came at a massive cost.

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The Southport-bound Tigers have major injury concerns ahead of clashes against Sydney at the Gabba next Sunday and the Kangaroos on the Gold Coast a week later.

Best-and-fairest Dion Prestia was carried from the MCG in the last quarter with a left ankle injury.

Coach Damien Hardwick consoled Prestia, who was clearly emotional, as the siren sounded.

Premiership ruckman Toby Nankervis also needed assistance from the ground after suffering a serious ankle injury as well.

Richmond captain Trent Cotchin spent almost the entirety of the last term on the interchange bench.

The Brownlow medallist said he had a “bit of a hammy” which is a concern given he has had repeated hamstring problems over the past year.

Star spearhead Tom Lynch, who kicked two last-term goals to seal victory for Richmond, has a cracked bone in his hand.

Key defender David Astbury did not play against Melbourne and will miss the next month with a knee injury as well.

Houli’s wife gave birth to a baby boy last week. Edwards’s wife is due next month.

Despite their absence over the next month, the Tigers pair will be paid half of their usual wage as per the guidelines of the virus-affected season.

“It has been a challenging year for all, so (Prestia) is obviously a bit emotional. It is what it is. It is part of the game we play,” Cotchin said.

“From my understanding, there are a couple of guys who have had babies or are expecting and as a club, we like to support our families, so they won’t be joining us.”

Geelong’s Mitch Duncan farewells his family. Picture: Alan Barber

Geelong superstar Gary Ablett, who played his 350th match on Saturday, says he will join the Cats in Sydney and then Perth.

But the dual-Brownlow medallist said it was far from an easy decision for he and wife Jordan to make when revealing their one-year-old Levi was suffering from a “rare and degenerative condition”.

“After a great amount of thought and consideration, we decided that it’s time to share this with you,” he wrote on social media.

“We thank you for your love and support and want to emphasise just how grateful we are to be Levi’s parents. He is a true blessing to us and our family and we love him so deeply.”

As the AFL hastened the departure date of clubs out of Victoria, the Demons had their bags packed to fly to Sydney and will be based in Manly this month.

Clubs were divided as to whether to take their entire squads or leave injured and development players behind.

Richmond football chief Neil Balme said the Tigers believed it was better to only take players likely to feature in matches, a move Port Adelaide adopted for the initial hub.

“When we’re on the Gold Coast, we’ll be focusing on winning game after game rather than on development,” he said.

Western Bulldogs captain Easton Wood is among the footballers who will be accompanied interstate by their families.

“There’ll be challenges, there’s no doubt about that, but I prefer to look at the opportunities and it can’t hurt getting some warm weather as well,” Wood told AFL Nation.

The Bulldogs join Carlton, the Tigers, North Melbourne and Essendon on the Gold Coast.

After claiming their maiden wins in the hub on the weekend, West Coast and Fremantle will play their final matches in Queensland next weekend before returning to Perth. Adelaide and the Power still have a fortnight left in Queensland.

Collingwood shared a flight to Sydney with Hawthorn, which will be based in Coogee.

Neither Jordan de Goey, who was charged with indecent assault on Saturday over an incident in 2015, nor the suspended Steele Sidebottom was on the plane. They will join their teammates in Perth before the round seven clash on July 16 against Geelong, a game that could draw 30,000 fans.