LUCKLESS Richmond key defender Josh Gibcus is travelling to America to kickstart his bid to return in 2027 after another season ruined by injury. 

The 23-year-old is heading to the University of Oregon to work with renowned strength and conditioning coach Jim Radcliffe, along with Mykelti Lefau and Judson Clarke, who trained there in May.

Gibcus played the opening game of the season against Carlton, following a full pre-season at Punt Road, but was then sent back to the VFL, where he injured his ACL in April.

He suffered a sprain not a rupture, but required surgery in June to stabilise his knee. 

Gibcus has endured a nightmare injury run since his first season, playing only four senior games in four seasons. He did his knee in the opening round of 2024 and didn't play at senior level until the final round of 2025. 

That was after Gibcus missed all of 2023 due to a complex hamstring issue, following an eye-catching debut season in 2022 after being selected at pick No.9 in the 2021 Telstra AFL Draft.

Gibcus is aiming to be ready for day one of pre-season and will be a key focus for new high performance boss Selwyn Griffith, who moved to the Tigers last week after running that department at Melbourne. 

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Clarke made a successful return from his third knee reconstruction late in the season, where he played the final three games in Adem Yze's side after four in the VFL before that.

The 22-year-old spent time at the University of Oregon in May during his rehabilitation and will now join Gibcus to prepare himself for a full pre-season at Waverley Park this summer. 

They are also set to work with renowned reconditioning guru Bill Knowles in Philadelphia.

Richmond sent Josh Smillie to work with Knowles in June amid an injury interrupted start to his AFL career and hope the 2024 pick No.7 can bank most of the pre-season and finally turn the corner after managing just four VFL appearances across his first two seasons.

First-round pick Sam Cumming will be ready for most of the program from day one of pre-season after undergoing a shoulder reconstruction in August. The South Australian managed 14 appearances in his debut season. 

Jacob Hopper, Tom Sims and Rhyan Mansell all had operations in recent months after injury issues in the second half of the season.