Is Josh Caddy a walk up start for Friday night? And what about small forward Jason Castagna? Picture: AAP
RICHMOND has an embarrassment of riches at its disposal ahead of its qualifying final clash with Geelong, but that leaves coach Damien Hardwick with plenty of selection headaches.
With hard man Josh Caddy ready to return from a hamstring injury, the Tigers have to decide who makes way for him — that is if they play him at all.
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Lauren Wood said on the SuperFooty Podcast that Jacob Townsend — after booting 11 goals in two weeks — must play.
And Mark Robinson said that makes things hard for the Tigers’ selection committee.
“That’s a risk,” Robbo said.
“They brought Townsend in to play that role and if they bring him (Caddy) back in, they’re going to have two similar players, playing that one role.
“They might say, ‘hang on, we can’t play them both’. It might be Caddy or Jacob Townsend.”
Anthony Hudson said there was no doubt Townsend would line up.
Lauren believes Oleg Markov could be the Tiger to make way.
“I would think if anyone’s going to come out it’s going to be Oleg Markov,” she said.
“It’s going to be huge for Josh Caddy, he hasn’t played since round 21, coming up against his old team, particularly with a soft tissue injury.”
Oleg Markov could be sweating this week. Picture: Sarah ReedSource:News Corp Australia
Young buck Shai Bolton put his best foot forward in the VFL on the weekend. Picture: George SalpigtidisSource:News Corp Australia
Jack Graham was also mentioned as someone who could make way.
Sam Landsberger said speedy goalsneak Shai Bolton put his hand up in Richmond’s VFL elimination final win over Collingwood.
“Could he pinch Jason Castagna’s spot, or is he safe?” Sam said.
But Robbo believes the Tigers will stick with Castagna — who has played every game this season.
“I think they’d go with Castagna, because he’s been the player ahead of Bolton all year, I’d be surprised,” he said.
“But I saw Bolton play on the weekend in the VFL, he was just waltzing around players, like they didn’t exist.”
Originally published as Toughest call of the year for Hardwick
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