PRIZED Richmond pick Sam Cumming has been ruled out for at least the first month of the season after injuring his shoulder again in the AAMI Community Series.
The 18-year-old suffered another subluxation of his right shoulder against Melbourne on Friday, following the same issue in August last year in the SANFL.
Richmond is hopeful a four-week strengthening block will be sufficient before a return, but the club will keep monitoring, with surgery still a possibility.
A shoulder reconstruction would wipe out up to four months of Cumming's debut season.
Richmond selected Cumming at pick No.7 in last November's Telstra AFL Draft, before taking Sam Grlj with the next pick.
Cumming spent the first half of the pre-season in the fluoro non-contact hat at Punt Road but then stood out in match simulation across January and February to put his hand up for a round one debut against Carlton next Thursday night.
But now the North Adelaide product will start the season on the sidelines alongside 2024 first-round picks Taj Hotton, Josh Smillie and Tom Sims.