Richmond coach Damien Hardwick will be in uncharted territory when the Tigers take on Greater Western Sydney at Giants Stadium on Saturday.
It will be the first time in Hardwick’s coaching career at Tigerland that he will be without the services of both the team’s brilliant ‘bookends’, Alex Rance and Jack Riewoldt.
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Rance, who is expected to be out of action for the remainder of the 2019 season after undergoing a knee reconstruction, was in and out of Richmond’s senior side during Hardwick’s first year as coach in 2010, but established himself as a permanent member of the line-up from 2011 onwards.
The champion key defender missed just 10 games in the previous eight years leading into season 2019.
Riewoldt, who damaged his wrist in last Thursday night’s clash with Collingwood at the MCG, and will be sidelined for about four weeks, has proven even more durable throughout Hardwick’s coaching tenure.
Since 2010, the champion key forward has been unavailable for selection on only three occasions – Round 23, 2013 v Essendon, Round 19, 2017 v Gold Coast and Round 20, 2017 v Hawthorn.
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