Hardwick explains Richmond's late sub-call when question is asked over high defender injury

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick has explained why tall defender Ben Miller was substituted in the final quarter of the Tigers’ crucial draw with Fremantle.

Key points:

• Tigers defender Ben Miller was medically substituted at the end of the game with Fremantle
• Reports differ as to why Miller was left out of the game, with Damien Hardwick saying it was a calf injury
• A player may only be substituted if he is reasonably determined as medically unfit to participate in any match for at least the next 12 days

With Richmond leading by one goal after 16 minutes of play in the final quarter, Miller came on to the bench and was medically out of the game for the smaller, faster Maurice Rioli.

A minute later, Fremantle equalized through Bailey Banfield’s goal, which led to the first draw of the 2022 AFL season.

The substitution raised eyebrows, with Miller not appearing to suffer any visible injury.

A medical substitute rule is in place ahead of the 2021 season, with doctors supposed to determine “a player is medically unfit to participate in any matches for at least the next 12 days”.

“I think he had a calf, and cramped significantly towards the end, but I think he tightened his calf as well so he’s probably OK,” Hardwick said.

Tigers team-mate Nathan Broad said he believed Miller was suffering from a full-body cramp, not a tightness in his calf.

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“Benny Miller had cramps all over his body. He couldn’t move,” he said.

“He can’t move. He really can’t move. His whole body is dead.”

Meanwhile, former Tigers spearhead Matthew Richardson said on a Channel 7 broadcast that Miller had accepted work on his groin during the game, while Fox Footy journalist Jon Ralph reported that the Tigers had informed him the defender had been substituted with a groin injury. .

Doctor Richmond must now present a medical certificate to the AFL today as evidence that Miller has sustained an injury.

If a club is found to have violated the medical substitute rules, it could be penalized “for inappropriate behavior, or harming the interests or reputation of the AFL, or bringing the game of football into disrepute”.

Hardwick backs Tigers to bounce back en route to final

Hardwick maintained the Tigers’ best quite well despite a frustrating third result in as many weeks.

The draw follows a after-siren defeat to the Gold Coast and losing to bottom half of the table North Melbourne over a chaotic last weekend.

Against Kangaroo, Jake Aarts played when he was just 30m from goal, this time young forward Noah Cumberland pushed his left foot just as the sirens sounded.

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Earlier, Noah Balta had a chance to put the Tigers ahead with a set shot from 40m, but was called up to play after too long to start a run. The resulting kick is blocked.

It was another blow to the Tigers’ top eight hopes, and they could drop to 10th at the end of the round if the Bulldogs beat the Devils and the Saints beat the Eagles.

“(Cumberland) is disappointed, and the kid will be disappointed, but the fact of the matter is it’s part of the whole equation,” Hardwick said.

“There were some things we didn’t do well and some things we did.

“We made some mistakes defensively and attacking which cost us goals.

“It’s a mountain, there’s a peak out there and we don’t know where it’s going.

“What we know is that our best footy will challenge the team and if we do it right at the right time.”

Fyfe’s injury is a “crash of the road” for hurting Dockers

Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir believes Nat Fyfe’s latest injury is just a “clash of roads” for doubles medalist Brownlow.

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A draw could mean Fremantle are out of the top four at the weekend if the Lions beat the Suns and the Magpies beat the Bombers.

But the Dockers faced another stretch without their captain after Fyfe was sent off in the third quarter with a hamstring injury.

“(Fyfe) is a professional, she has a smile on her face and gets along with her teammates so we will scan her,” Longmuir said.

“It’s a hurdle, the way I see it, because he’s overcame his big injury and sometimes when you try to come back and try to commit you can have a bit of a setback.

“Hopefully that’s it, a bit of a setback.”

It has been a frustrating 12 months for Fyfe, who is only making his first appearance of the season in the round of 13 after several shoulder surgeries, knee injuries and back surgeries since the end of the 2021 season.

The 30-year-old is only six games behind and will now be in a race against time to be part of the Dockers’ first final campaign since 2015.

Longmuir said Fremantle had a lot of work to do in the final four games of the home and away season, starting with reigning champions Melbourne next Friday night.

“Sometimes against teams that put good pressure, you just have to be elite with your skills,” he said.

“I felt we were not clean, missed some critical handballs.”

Tall and versatile Rory Lobb was a key player against the Tigers with a shoulder injury and is unlikely to take on the Demons at Perth Stadium.

Lobb was one of Fremantle’s best in a stunning 38-point loss to Melbourne’s Dockers at MCG in round 11.

AAP/ABC

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