Richmond have confirmed that star forward Tom Lynch and important swingman Noah Balta are set for extended times on the sidelines.
The key duo both sustained fourth-quarter injuries in Sunday’s win over Sydney with Lynch suffering a significant hamstring tendon injury behind his left knee.
7NEWS chief AFL reporter Mitch Cleary said it was the “worst possible news for Richmond” after Lynch’s scans earlier on Monday morning.
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“It’s hamstring tendon damage that is likely to require surgery,” Cleary said.
The key forward planted his leg awkwardly, following contact in a marking contest. In a statement, Richmond said he “felt immediate discomfort” and then cameras caught him hobbling from the field.
Balta has a moderate MCL injury that will keep him out of the game for 3-5 weeks, after he also landed with discomfort in the final seconds of the match.
Richmond football performance manager Tim Livingstone said the injuries were unfortunate.
“It is rotten luck for Tom, who worked extremely diligently to prepare his body for the season after what was a tough season for him last year,” he said.
“Unfortunately for Tom, he landed in a motion that has caused this injury.
“He will consult a surgeon in the coming days, which will give us a clearer picture of the injuries timeline, but we are expecting he will be out for the longer term.”
Balta had made a bright start to the season in a new forward role, but is also set to miss some football.
“In one of the last contests of the game, Noah unfortunately hurt his knee, and scans have confirmed some damage to his MCL,” Livingstone said.
“We will assess him further this week, but we do not expect him to play before the bye.”
More to come …