Written by Megan Taylor, sports reporter covering international sports since 2020
Richmond injury crisis has taken another turn, with high-performance boss Ben Serpell leaving the club this week after a difficult run of setbacks during the Tigers’ AFL rebuild.
Serpell joined Richmond after the 2024 season, but the club’s injury toll has remained heavy, with 39 players used this season and 12 currently sidelined.
The latest Tigers fitness shake-up comes as other clubs manage key return plans, including Max King’s comeback nearing as St Kilda wait on a final return call.
Tigers Confirm Serpell Departure
Richmond football boss Tim Livingstone confirmed the club would rely on its current staff while searching for a replacement.
"The club is well placed to manage through the balance of the season with our existing high-performance staff while we commence an extensive search for a replacement," Livingstone said.
Serpell will depart to take up “another opportunity”, leaving Richmond to reset a department that has been under heavy pressure.
The Tigers have been hit hard during Adem Yze’s third season in charge, with availability problems continuing to shape selection and development.
Young Talent Hit Hard
No.1 draft pick Sam Lalor has been limited to 18 games across almost two completed seasons at Punt Road.
Lalor is currently out with a partial Achilles tear, but is pushing to return for three or four matches before the season ends.
Josh Smillie, another 2024 first-round pick, is still waiting for his AFL debut because of ongoing quad issues.
Highly-rated defender Josh Gibcus has also had a brutal injury run, with knee problems restricting him to four games across three years.
Yze Refuses Injury Excuse
Richmond have won just 10 of Yze’s 63 games as coach, but he has refused to blame injuries for the club’s results.
"It (injuries) affects it a little bit, but you lose a soldier and you replace the soldier," Yze said after Saturday night’s two-point loss to Carlton.
"There'll be some bumps along the road when that's happening and it is a lot harder when you've got high talent or really important players like 'Lynchy' (veteran forward Tom Lynch) missing.
"But we want to play the same way. We expect to play the same way with the ball and we want to be playing an attacking brand of footy that our 'Tiger Army' really enjoy watching."
Richmond’s challenge now is to keep building through a battered list while finding the right high-performance leader for the next stage.
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