Richmond players are concerned about the playing surface of Punt Road Oval, according to Channel 7’s Caroline Wilson.
The Tigers are dealing with a lengthy injury list after the first month of the season that has yielded zero wins.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Richmond’s training ground crisis deepens with injuries
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As well as injuries to veterans Toby Nankervis and Tom Lynch, a host of young players have failed to get onto the park this season.
Highly rated youngsters Josh Smillie and Taj Hotton, both taken in their boom 2024 draft haul, are both sidelined for lengthy periods.
While a number of the injuries have been contact or muscle strains, Hotton’s issue in particular has raised concerns.
Hotton was ruled out for multiple months on the eve of the season after suffering a hip injury caused by bone stress.
“The club vehemently deny this, but there is no doubt coming from within the players, they have some doubts about the Punt Road surface,” Wilson reported on The Agenda Setters.
“Now, clearly a lot of these injuries have nothing to do with a soft surface and, allegedly, too soft a surface.
“But some players, particularly when you look at guys like Taj Hotton, that is a stress injury.
“And you’ve got players who are suffering from stress injuries among that group. And that is a big problem.
“Six of their top 30 draft picks from the last two or three years are not playing.”
Punt Road Oval is set to be torn up at the end of the 2026 men’s season in September or October.
And with the ongoing development of a new Jack Dyer stand and a resurfacing of the ground to be completed, the Tigers have been forced to find a new home for 6-8 months.
7NEWS reporter Xander McGuire previously revealed the Tigers were looking at Gosch’s Paddock as a potential training base.
There is also the option of Waverley Park depending on what the Melbourne Demons do.
“The club deny it’s a soft surface at Punt Road. But they’re trying to get to Melbourne’s training ground and hoping that Melbourne will move to Waverley,” Wilson continued.
“If Melbourne don’t go to Waverley, Richmond want to go there.
“They need to get a decent training venue because they have to leave Punt Road at the end of the season, at least for one pre-season and potentially more.
“But I’m worried about the Punt Road surface. The club deny it. The players have a concern.”
The redevelopment of the Jack Dyer stand is scheduled to be complete by the middle of 2027, with the oval set to be usable by the early stages of the men’s 2027 season.
Richmond pushed Carlton in Round 1 before suffering three heavy defeats to Gold Coast, Fremantle and Port Adelaide to remain rooted to the bottom of the ladder.
