RICHMOND star Nick Vlastuin has transitioned back into the main group early in 2026 after his 2025 campaign ended in August due to a nasty broken ankle, while young key forward Jonty Faull is recovering from his own ankle concern. 

Vlastuin missed the final game of last season after suffering the ankle fracture against North Melbourne in round 23 and has slowly increased his workload up across his 14th preseason at Punt Road. 

The 31-year-old produced one of the best seasons of his 255-game career in 2025, earning selection in the All-Australian squad for the second time before finishing narrowly behind Tim Taranto in the Jack Dyer Medal. 

Richmond has also carefully managed the four other players at the club who are above the age of 30 all summer, with Tom Lynch, Nathan Broad, Toby Nankvervis and Dion Prestia following modified programs to have them ready for a practice match ahead of the season opener against Carlton on March 12.

The veterans are expected to play some minutes against Melbourne in the AAMI Community Series clash in Ballarat on February 27, while the Tigers will expose plenty of youth in the match simulation against Essendon at The Hangar on February 20. 

Faull was confined to the rehab group on Monday morning after spraining his ankle last week, but the 195cm key forward is expected to be fully fit by the end of the month and has laid the foundations for a decent second season since his last game in August.

After playing 16 games in an impressive debut season, the 2024 first-round pick inherited the iconic No.8 guernsey in the off-season, worn with distinction by Richmond champions Jack Riewoldt, Michael Roach and Dick Clay.

Luke Trainor was limited on Monday to running laps after a knock at training last week, while Tom Sims is still a couple of months away from fully recovering from a navicular stress fracture in his right foot.  

Josh Gibcus hasn't missed a beat all pre-season and is quietly building momentum after making a late season return from a nightmare injury run across 2023 and 2024. 

The 2021 first-round pick banked six VFL games across last July and August before Adem Yze rewarded him with his first AFL game in 527 days against Geelong in round 24. 

Sam Cumming and Sam Grlj continue to impress in their first summers at the Swinburne Centre after being selected at pick No.7 and No.8 in last November's AFL Draft, while deadline day surprise mover Patrick Retschko is also mounting a case for a round one debut.

Richmond made a move for the wingman in the closing hours of the trade period, sending pick No.99 to the Cats after meeting with Retschko a fortnight earlier after he was delisted by Geelong with the initial plan to sign him as a delisted free agent. 

The 19-year-old finished fifth in the Cats' VFL best and fairest but the list squeeze at Kardinia Park cost him another contract. 

But after dominating all the running and impressive in early match play, Retschko is eyeing a spot on a wing in a team that no longer includes Kamdyn McIntosh, while Hugo Ralphsmith is also still recovering from the hamstring strain he suffered in December.