Puffed-up Richo is swell
By Linda Pearce
April 17 2003
The baseball cap was a disguise of sorts, but it also served the unintentional purpose of singling out the tall bloke with the puffy face training last night at Punt Road Oval.
Matthew Richardson's right cheek is no longer so swollen that he would frighten small children or inspire a fresh round of Elephant Man jokes, but nor is it back to its normal size.
"The plate in it is as strong as it's going to be, so that's not an issue - it's just that the swelling looks a bit ugly," said Richmond football manager Greg Hutchison, predicting Richardson's return against St Kilda on Monday, 13 days after surgery to repair his broken cheekbone.
"His swelling went down yesterday - it just looks like he's got a bit of a golf ball on his cheek now," he said.
"It's a little bit uncomfortable, but he feels a lot happier with it, and it wouldn't have been a great look for him to run out and play the game on Sunday . . . there were only 19,000 people there but he might have scared most of them away!"
If Richardson plays, and the Tigers claim to be a lot more optimistic this week than last, it is unlikely to be with the protection of a face guard, despite the example set by James Hird and others after returning from head injuries.
"His preferred option is not to; we discussed that with him last week and he wasn't overly rapt about the idea, and he's happy not to play with one," Hutchison said. "The only reason is that cosmetically, it might help to hide any facial swelling that's left."
While Richardson would return directly to the senior team from which he was a late withdrawal last week, his key-position teammate Ben Holland, returning from knee reconstruction, is expected to start in Coburg reserves.
The Tigers' VFL affiliate has a senior bye this weekend, and attempts to organise a practice match with either St Kilda or the Northern Bullants failed, leaving a reserves line-up including Andrew Krakouer, Marc Dragicevic, Adam Pickering and Holland, who wrecked his knee at Subiaco in round four last season.
Hutchison cautioned that there would be no temptation to rush Holland back on the interchange bench in the continued absence of Brad Ottens.
"He's a long way off playing AFL football," Hutchison said. "We need to play him for three or four weeks in the VFL before he'd be even considered."
Kane Johnson is considered a certainty for Monday's game despite yesterday's failure to train with the main group. Like several of his teammates, a sore Johnson should benefit from the eight-day break after Sunday's wet slog against the Dockers, although that will not be time enough to heal Duncan Kellaway's injured hamstring.
By Linda Pearce
April 17 2003
The baseball cap was a disguise of sorts, but it also served the unintentional purpose of singling out the tall bloke with the puffy face training last night at Punt Road Oval.
Matthew Richardson's right cheek is no longer so swollen that he would frighten small children or inspire a fresh round of Elephant Man jokes, but nor is it back to its normal size.
"The plate in it is as strong as it's going to be, so that's not an issue - it's just that the swelling looks a bit ugly," said Richmond football manager Greg Hutchison, predicting Richardson's return against St Kilda on Monday, 13 days after surgery to repair his broken cheekbone.
"His swelling went down yesterday - it just looks like he's got a bit of a golf ball on his cheek now," he said.
"It's a little bit uncomfortable, but he feels a lot happier with it, and it wouldn't have been a great look for him to run out and play the game on Sunday . . . there were only 19,000 people there but he might have scared most of them away!"
If Richardson plays, and the Tigers claim to be a lot more optimistic this week than last, it is unlikely to be with the protection of a face guard, despite the example set by James Hird and others after returning from head injuries.
"His preferred option is not to; we discussed that with him last week and he wasn't overly rapt about the idea, and he's happy not to play with one," Hutchison said. "The only reason is that cosmetically, it might help to hide any facial swelling that's left."
While Richardson would return directly to the senior team from which he was a late withdrawal last week, his key-position teammate Ben Holland, returning from knee reconstruction, is expected to start in Coburg reserves.
The Tigers' VFL affiliate has a senior bye this weekend, and attempts to organise a practice match with either St Kilda or the Northern Bullants failed, leaving a reserves line-up including Andrew Krakouer, Marc Dragicevic, Adam Pickering and Holland, who wrecked his knee at Subiaco in round four last season.
Hutchison cautioned that there would be no temptation to rush Holland back on the interchange bench in the continued absence of Brad Ottens.
"He's a long way off playing AFL football," Hutchison said. "We need to play him for three or four weeks in the VFL before he'd be even considered."
Kane Johnson is considered a certainty for Monday's game despite yesterday's failure to train with the main group. Like several of his teammates, a sore Johnson should benefit from the eight-day break after Sunday's wet slog against the Dockers, although that will not be time enough to heal Duncan Kellaway's injured hamstring.
