There was good news and bad news for Gold Coasters out of the Richmond Tigers den last night.
Luke McGuane, sidelined for a fortnight by a hamstring problem, will make a quick return straight into the seniors for the Round 15 clash with West Coast in Perth on Sunday.
But Andrew Raines’ horror run with injuries has continued – he’ll miss at least two weeks with a hamstring problem suffered playing with Coburg in the VFL last weekend.
Raines has played only two senior games this year after he dislocated his knee cap in Round 2 and was working his way back into contention via first the Coburg seconds and then the Coburg firsts when he broke down again.
McGuane was included in a depleted 25-man Richmond squad for the must-win clash with the Eagles.
They’ve lost the in-form Matthew Richardson to a hamstring problem in addition to key defender Graham Polak, who is rehabilitating following an horrific incident in which he was hit by a Melbourne tram two weeks ago.
McGuane, named at centre half back following his third senior recall of the season, wil play his ninth game of 2008 and the 25th game of his career.
There will be seven Gold Coasters in action in Round 15 of the Toyota AFL premiership after Brent Renouf’s two-game suspension cost him his spot in the Hawthorn side to meet Sydney.
McGuane aside, it’s the regular senior players – St.Kilda’s Nick Riewoldt and Sam Gilbert, North Melbourne’s David Hale, Brisbane’s Daniel Merrett and Hawthorn’s Michael Osborne and Adelaide’s Kurt Tippett.
