RICHMOND young gun Josh Gibcus will miss the start of the season after being booked in for surgery on a hamstring tendon injury he suffered at training on Monday.
The 19-year-old was carried off the track by two trainers at the Swinburne Centre and met with a specialist on Tuesday, where it was determined surgery was required.
Gibcus will go under the knife on Thursday, ruling the defender out of the early rounds of the 2023 season.
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After being selected with pick No. 9 in the 2021 NAB AFL Draft, Gibcus played 18 games during an impressive debut season in Damien Hardwick's defence.
Gibcus had made an impressive start to 2023 by reporting back for pre-season training in great condition last week.
The GWV Rebels product ran the fifth fastest 2km time-trial at Punt Road last Thursday, winning the second heat in a group that contained younger and key position players.
Meanwhile, reigning Jack Dyer Medallist Tom Lynch is managing a foot injury after undergoing surgery before Christmas to deal with the plantar fasciitis issue.
The 30-year-old isn't believed to be in doubt for Richmond's season opener against Carlton on March 16 and is expected to gradually transition back into the main group closer to round one.
Star defender Nick Vlastuin will be restricted to non-contact drills across the next fortnight after suffering cracked ribs in a drill at training last week.
Midfielder Jack Graham underwent toe surgery in November to deal with a problem that lingered across the second half of the season.
The South Australian has started to increase his running loads after the Christmas break and is scheduled to return to the main group closer to the start of the season.
