Latest news with #RichmondTigers
News.com.au
3 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
GWS seal emphatic comeback over Tigers
AFL: GWS have overcome an almighty scare from Richmond on Saturday evening, finishing victors by just three points in a Saturday evening thriller at ENGIE Stadium.
News.com.au
6 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
Richmond positive about injury progress of top draft pick yet to be seen at AFL level
Richmond fans have a timeline for when they could see each of last year's first-round draftees in action, as Josh Smillie makes positive steps towards his recovery. Taken at pick seven in last year's bumper draft haul by the rebuilding Tigers, Smillie's highly anticipated debut has been on delay after he suffered a second hamstring setback of the season. The first tweak hindered Smillie's pre-season and the second postponed his momentum towards game one, leaving fellow draftees, including No.1 pick Sam Lalor, to get their AFL careers going before he could. But Richmond coach Adem Yze provided an encouraging update on Wednesday, clarifying Smillie's 'TBC' on the club's injury list as 'four to six weeks'. 'Ben (Serpell, high performance manager) will give that timeline, but he's (Smillie) travelling really well, he's running,' Yze said. '(Serpell) will obviously talk about that more than I will. but he's (Smillie) not that far away, it could be four to six weeks. 'I think it will be closer to four, which is good. He's progressing nicely, we just wanted to make sure we set a really good plan for him.' Yze said Smillie would undergo another training block to build fitness. Richmond held Smillie to limited minutes in the VFL after his first injury and applied the same process to premiership midfielder Dion Prestia last week. 'There's obviously going to be his return to play from the injury and then the amount of training load,' Yze said. 'We want him to come back and really set himself for that back part of the year, that's the only reason why it's TBC right now. 'It was (the same injury as earlier in the year) but it was minor, he's in the gym to really strengthen it, that's why it might be a little bit longer.' Serpell said Smillie was recovering well but would take all measures necessary to ensure he was 'robust' enough for senior football. 'Smillie is progressing quite well, we want to focus on his development from an athletic perspective,' Serpell said. 'The hamstring itself is looking quite good, but we want to make sure that he is ready to play senior football as soon as possible and make sure he is robust for that.' Taj Hotton (Pick No.12) and Smillie are the only two first-round picks the Tigers' supporters are yet to get a glimpse of. But Hotton is set to join training and build towards playing in coming weeks. 'We expect to see (Hotton and Josh Gibcus) out training in the next few weeks without a non-contact hat on,' Serpell said. 'About four or so weeks of that and we can expect to see them out playing again.'
News.com.au
7 days ago
- Politics
- News.com.au
AFL 2025: Richmond coach Adem Yze addresses Noah Balta's availability to play GWS
Richmond coach Adem Yze says it would be 'getting a bit cute' by playing defender Noah Balta on limited minutes to return in time for his mandated curfew. Balta was sentenced for assault in April and is under a 10pm to 6am curfew for 18 months. But the Tigers, who tackle GWS in Sydney at 4.15pm on Saturday, will drop Balta to the VFL to eliminate the risk of him missing curfew. The VFL side is also playing GWS at Engie Stadium but in the earlier timeslot of 12.30pm. Yze says Richmond don't want the possibility of being a player short on the bench or to disrespect the sanction by substituting Balta out at halftime. 'We'd be getting a bit cute if we did that and subbed him out because there could be risk that someone else gets injured and then we're putting others at risk,' he said. 'We looked at the option of playing him in the seniors and getting him back on time, but it was just going to be too risky. 'We don't want to go and mess with that. We understand what he's going through (and) it's just around performance and if we can get a game into him, we'll do that. 'It was the only game we considered these things, it wasn't to disrespect what he's going through, it was just around performance and whether we could keep the momentum of him playing. 'Jake Batchelor, our VFL coach, is pretty happy he's going to be available for the pre-game.' Balta has already missed one match as a result of his curfew, sitting out the Anzac Eve clash with Melbourne. While this week is likely to be Balta's final game impacted by curfew this year, Yze says the defender 'needs to play' for his performance and wellbeing. 'If he's going in and out it's obviously hard with performance and the stress of going in and out and what it does to your body,' he said. 'But his wellbeing is really important as well, to go in and out of AFL footy is really tough, you see that with injuries. 'As long as we can get him back on time, he's going to go play VFL. It's an earlier game and he'll come back on his own flight. 'He'll travel (there) with the team, go help our younger defenders in the VFL and get another game into him. 'It'll give him a better chance at performing the following week. We looked at that and we'll do that.'
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Delicate conversation': New revelation about Dustin Martin's return to Richmond
The Richmond Tigers are reportedly keen on bringing club legend Dustin Martin back into the fold in a mentoring role with the AFL legend stepping away from all duties in 2025. Martin stunned fans in 2024 having called time on his AFL career with three games left in the Tigers' season. Fans were able to send Martin off with a special tribute after the final game of the season at the MCG. While there were talks Martin could join the Suns in 2025, nothing came of the move with the Tigers legend enjoying retirement. Martin was also linked to the Fox Sports commentary team for 2025, but has again stepped back from all duties. However, veteran AFL reporter Caroline Wilson has suggested Richmond are very keen on bringing the legend back into the fold in a mentoring capacity. Richmond sit in 16th on the AFL ladder with just three wins in 11 games. The Tigers have looked uninspired so far in 2025 as their young squad gets to grips with the rigours of AFL footy. Martin was seen in the Tigers dressing room two weeks ago having celebrated a milestone with one of his old teammates. And Wilson revealed the club is very interested in brining the legend back into the fold. However, Wilson claimed it was a 'delicate conversation' for the club to undertake with the AFL icon and his manager Ralph Carr. "Richmond is hoping to bring Dustin back into the camp in some official Richmond want, and let's face it their skills need a bit of work, is they would love Dustin there as a mentor to this brilliant group of young players," Wilson said on Channel 7. Former Port Adelaide player Kane Cornes didn't think Martin would take a skills coach role having stepped back from footy. "Is Dustin Martin up for this? He didn't strike me as a coach that would be invested in doing this," Cornes said of Martin being a skills coach. But he did agree Martin would be very useful as a mentor around the club with so many Tigers players needing guidance. Richmond sit 10th in the league for disposal efficiency and 17th for handball efficiency. Against Essendon last week, the Tigers had 17 unforced turnovers. "They would love Dustin there as a mentor to this brilliant group of young players."Caroline Wilson on Richmond wanting Dustin Martin involved as a coach 👇 — 7AFL (@7AFL) May 26, 2025 RELATED: Calls for Kane Cornes to be sanctioned over Luke Beveridge incident AFL world gutted over heartbreaking news about West Coast hero Despite some poor results, Wilson was referring to Richmond's recent haul at the drafts. And the likes of Kane McAuliffe and Kaleb Smith have stood up in recent weeks. Both were impressive in last week's loss to Essendon and would thrive under the guidance of club icon Martin. The Tigers season has gone from bad to worse in recent weeks with their No.1 draft pick Sam Lalor set to miss six weeks of action with a hamstring injury. Lalor was carrying the injury before he was drafted, but scans showed he had re-injured his hamstring against Essendon last Friday. Last year, Martin raised eyebrows when a 'secret' meeting was captured between the former player and some high-level executives. Martin met with Fox Sports managing director Steve Crawley, Foxtel Group CEO Patrick Delany and Fox Sports expert Jack Riewoldt with many speculating the Richmond legend was set to make a move to the commentary box. At the time, Crawley said they would keep 'chipping away' at Martin with a relationship starting to build. But ahead of the current season, Martin was not included in the Fox Sports line-up and is enjoying his time away from the game. Martin's potential move into commentary is a slight surprise with the 33-year-old often a reserved character during his playing days. The Richmond great shied away from interviews throughout his illustrious career and was not one to steal the limelight.
News.com.au
22-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
AFL 2025: Richmond star Dion Prestia will make his long-awaited return this weekend
Richmond premiership star Dion Prestia will make his long-awaited return from injury through the VFL this weekend. Prestia, yet to play a game in 2025, had been hindered by yet another soft-tissue setback. He has acted as an assistant coach to the young Tigers this year, in particular Sam Lalor and Josh Smillie, but will pull the boots on himself this Saturday night. Richmond coach Adem Yze admits there was a temptation to rush Prestia back into the AFL team, but he wants to learn from the lessons of last season. 'There always is with the talent he's got and the leadership he provides,' Yze said. 'It's a funny one, when you lose (Tom) Lynchy and (Noah) Balta goes out, well maybe we do (bring him back) but we can't break that (plan). 'His season last year, you could see how important he was when he come in and we probably did it the wrong way and he missed six weeks. 'We've got to learn from that, be really clear and consistent with the plan we've done and he'll go play on Saturday night in Frankston and help our younger boys. 'If he gets through, he'll be available the week after. We're playing the long game with him as well.' Prestia will play a half of footy over the first three quarters in Richmond's match against Essendon at Frankston Park on Saturday night. Richmond's injury list is slowly shrinking with the exception of top draftees Smillie and Harry Armstrong. Armstrong, mending a hamstring, took strides in his recovery on Thursday morning when he got the footy back in his hands. Yze says the time off is somewhat of a gift to the promising goalkicker as it allows him to spend further time in the gym. 'I think if you ask him he would say he's flying and he is,' he said. 'He's getting a big training block in, I think he's five or six weeks away from playing which is a real positive. 'He'll get some footy later in the year and he's had the opportunity right now, his body is filled in, so we'll take that blessing in the time he's going to have out. 'He can hit the gym and put a few kilos on and he's done that … it was nice to see him out there kicking a few footys around today.'
