RICHMOND star Alex Rance has been battling a hamstring complaint and is set to miss his side's opening clash of the JLT Community Series against Adelaide.
Rance, 27, has recently been on a modified program and the Tigers confirmed the three-time All Australian defender has been suffering hamstring tendinitis.
"[Rance] has been looking after a tendinitis thing that he has had," Tigers football manager Neil Balme told News Corp.
"He could play (this weekend) if it were a real (home and away season) game, but he probably hasn’t done the work to do [play] yet.
"We are just trying to get him up to speed so he doesn't have a chronic year."
Rance is one of the Tigers' most important players and won Richmond's 2015 best fairest award and finished as runner-up in 2016.
The Tigers are confident the key defender will be fit to play against Carlton in round one.
Meanwhile, star recruits Dion Prestia and Josh Caddy are expected to be available for the game against the Crows at Etihad Stadium on Friday night.
Former Sydney ruckman Toby Nankervis – who has won plenty of admirers at Tigerland this pre-season – is also likely to appear in his new colours for the first time.
