Richmond star Jack Riewoldt is set for another stint on the sidelines after scans revealed a high-grade PCL injury.
Riewoldt failed to finish the final quarter of his return from a wrist injury.
The Tigers forward succumbed to an injury to his right knee, ending an eventful return from a three-week layoff that included a controversial ‘chicken wing’ tackle on Melbourne youngster Bayley Fritsch.
But while Riewoldt could come under scrutiny from the match review panel, coach Damien Hardwick speculated the veteran will ‘miss some time’ with a knee injury in the 43-point win over the Demons.
On Friday, it was confirmed that Riewoldt will not require surgery, but he is set for a six- to eight-week layoff.
Scans have revealed @JackRiewoldt08 has a high-grade PCL injury to his right knee.https://t.co/5i5DweN57O
— Richmond FC 🐯 (@Richmond_FC) April 26, 2019
"It's his right leg, so his good leg, it's a PCL-type injury,” Hardwick said post-match.
“We're not exactly sure of the extent of that but he'll miss some time, unfortunately.
"How long that is, we're not exactly sure so we'll get some scans obviously done pretty quick, but it's disappointing.
"He's worked incredibly hard to get back and then to hurt his other knee to this type of injury is really disappointing.
“So we're hoping for the best but he'll obviously miss some footy."
MORE: Richmond v Melbourne: Sydney Stack crunches Jack Viney with massive bump
Asked to provide a likely time frame for Riewoldt’s recovery, Hardwick replied: “I can’t, he certainly won’t play next week I wouldn’t have thought, I hope he doesn’t now because I’ve said he won’t.
“I’m pretty sure he won’t … but we won’t know until he gets a scan but he’ll miss some time I’d say.”
Hardwick added when pressed on Riewoldt’s mood after his latest injury setback: "I reckon initially, once you probably find out that you're hurt and you're going to miss some time, you're disappointed but Jack's a pretty vibrant type of character.
"He was cheering as loud as anyone on that bench and barking instructions and it's the sort of guy he is.
"He's been through this before and he understands it and he'll deal with it and he'll be disappointed for a while.
"But he'll be trying to make those around him better, that's what a good leader does and that's what he'll do."
