Tigers’ backs to the walls

BOTH Alex Rance and Bachar Houli will be missing from the Richmond backline for the first time since 2010 tonight as the Tigers search for short and long-term fixes for their defensive woes.

Rance had knee surgery on Tuesday and is expected to be sidelined for the rest of the year after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in last week’s season-opener against Carlton.

Houli also pulled up sore from that match – in which he was one of Richmond’s best – and will miss tonight’s clash against Collingwood with hamstring soreness.

“We’re really conservative with these calls and we feel he’s too important a player so we won’t play him this week,” Tigers coach Damien Hardwick said of Houli.

“Push comes to shove, he could play. But it’s a marathon, not a sprint, so we’ll take the week on the chin.”