Richmond coach Adem Yze has addressed the departure of high-performance manager Ben Serpell, stating the club could not afford another campaign marred by injuries. Serpell joined the Tigers after the 2024 AFL season but failed to stem the tide of physical setbacks that have derailed Richmond's rebuild.
Injury toll forces change
Richmond has used 39 different players this season, with 12 currently on the injury list. Serpell left this week to pursue "another opportunity," and Yze revealed his position would have been reviewed at season's end regardless. "We can't go through another season like this," Yze said on Friday. "We've had a couple of years where availability wasn't up to standard. We need to provide an elite high-performance environment, and that's what we'll be doing."
Yze acknowledged the loss but emphasized the club's ability to adapt. "It's sad to see him go, but we'll shuffle the decks, and we can cater for losing him right now. We've got enough staff that we can move people around and make sure that we still finish the season off strongly, and then we'll bring in the best person that we see fit."
Resilience amid adversity
Despite their 2-14 record, Richmond has shown resilience. In round eight, they defeated West Coast in Perth with barely enough fit players to field a full squad. Last week, they nearly upset in-form Carlton, falling by just two points. On Sunday, they face another tough test against Melbourne at the MCG.
Lalor close to return
In positive news, Yze said 2024 No.1 draft pick Sam Lalor could return within a week from a partial Achilles tendon tear. "I'll put a smile on my face because he'll get through training this week, and we're hoping that if he gets through next week, he might play managed minutes ... against the Hawks," Yze said.
Ross sidelined with concussion
The Tigers will be cautious with Jack Ross after he suffered his second concussion of the year in last week's loss. "It's shattering," Yze said. "He's a pure leader of our footy club and that act was the leadership act. We were losing our way and someone needed to do something, and obviously he led the way in that area, but he just led with his head in the wrong spot. We'll be really cautious. That's his second concussion within the last six weeks, so we'll be really mindful that we'll probably need to give him a little bit longer before he comes back."
