RICHMOND recruit Dion Prestia is a chance to return from hamstring soreness for Sunday's clash against Fremantle, but the Tigers will be without Nick Vlastuin for at least three weeks after scans revealed a fracture in his injured shoulder.
Prestia, whose training program has been heavily managed this season because of past knee issues, missed Saturday night's clash against the Western Bulldogs after pulling up sore during the week.
The Tigers identified the issue as hamstring soreness, with physical performance manager Peter Burge saying the club could still take a cautious approach and hold him over for one more week.
"He's running at the moment and it's really just a case of seeing how he is later in the week … it's a 50-50 call," Burge said on the club's website.
"He probably hasn't recovered from the last two games back to back.
"He'll be back pretty soon, we just want to make sure that when he's right to go he's right and we're not rushing him back into the side.
"At this stage we're unsure about this week. He's more likely next week."
Prestia has been struck down by knee injuries in each of the past two seasons, and underwent surgery last July, ending his final season with Gold Coast.
Burge said the 24-year-old's training load had been restricted but his knee was not causing him any ongoing issues.
"Dion hasn't played a lot of footy in the last 12 months, and he's obviously a great player, so we want to make sure he does the right thing given his limited pre-season as well," Burge said.
"His training load is still building all the time and we'd expect him to be doing more at the end of the season than he is (now).
"The good news for Dion is his knee injury that he's had in the past has been great and no issues at all."
The Tigers will need to find a replacement for Vlastuin, who has moved from the backline and into midfield and forward roles this season.
Vlastuin suffered a shoulder injury against the Bulldogs on Saturday night and scans revealed "a small fracture" that will require three to four weeks on the sidelines to heal.
In other injury news, Shane Edwards will join training with the main group this week after recovering from a hip injury, while Jacob Townsend is available for selection after a poke in the eye in the VFL.
Reece Conca is in a moonboot for at least the next two weeks as he recovers from a lisfranc injury, with a further diagnosis to come once the boot is removed.
