Richmond stronger for injury struggles

RICHMOND is reaping the benefits of players having to step up during their injuryriddled season, midfielder Shane Edwards said ahead of Friday night’s preliminary final clash with Geelong.

Defender Alex Rance suffered a season-ending ACL tear in Round 1 while captain Trent Cotchin, Jack Riewoldt and Toby Nankervis were key Tigers to spend significant stints on the sidelines.

Yet Richmond is on a 10game winning streak as it has reintegrated its star players into a team that has maintained a strong run of form.

“It’s good from a learning point of view,” Edwards said.

“Having a different season to last year and making it to this point through a different way, I guess, and we don’t have the same team as what we had last year, so it’s a different journey.”

Bachar Houli, Dion Prestia, Dylan Grimes and Nick Vlastuin have taken their games to another level while fringe players have also impressed.

“It’s awesome. It just gives everyone more trust that anyone can play a role or a position when we need them to,” Edwards said.

“And when we have got the injured guys back, it’s just been awesome that everyone can maintain that high standard and that’s something we expect now.”

Edwards, who captained Richmond on occasion this year, said losing players to injury had helped build resilience and brought the Tigers closer as a group.

“We’ve had some really big games this year, backs up against the wall and I suppose playing together for even longer in bigger games can definitely jell the group,” he said. “So, yeah, I’d say we’re a tighter group.”

The Tigers have also taken advantage of an injection of youth — with Shai Bolton, Liam Baker and the injured Sydney Stack among players to have blossomed.

“It brings a lot of enthusiasm, but at the same time they’re really good players, we’re not just bringing them in because they’re young, they’re great players,” Edwards said.

“So it’s exciting having them out there.”