Richmond star Kane Lambert is staring down the barrel of an injury layoff that could last six months.
The Tigers are giving strong consideration to putting Lambert in for a significant hip operation that could wipe out his season.
The triple premiership winning midfielder has battled persistent soreness over the pre-season. Lambert missed the Tigers’ intra-club on February 19 and was forced to sit out the practice match against Geelong last Saturday.
But after multiple scans and little sign of improvement, Lambert will consult a surgeon next week to make the final call on whether he will go under the knife.
It’s understood the Lambert procedure would be similar to that undertaken by Michael Hurley, who had a hip joint replaced in September in a bid to resuscitate a career derailed by a serious infection.
Leading sports medico Dr Peter Brukner told SEN Hurley’s operation five months ago was known as a “resurfacing” and not as major as a full hip replacement.
Hurley has recently resumed running, but is yet to re-join full training at the Bombers.
Lambert’s injury is a blow to a Richmond side looking to rebound from a 12th-placed finish last year.
A calf injury restricted the influential onballer to only 13 games last year, but his importance to the Tigers was reflected in a best and fairest count in which he finished ninth.
The midfielder was second in the 2018 Jack Dyer Medal and third in 2017.
He was eighth in the 2019 count after missing a month with achilles tendinitis and ninth in 2020 – a season he entered after another hip operation.
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick yesterday said his side had enjoyed an otherwise productive preparation.
“Obviously we had a down year last year, but we feel we covered the mental space really well. We did a fair bit of work over the course of the summer as well,” Hardwick said.
“We’ve had a great pre-season. We’ve got great strength in leadership at our footy club and we’re really bullish about the way we’ll go this year.”