Injury Report: Round 14, 2025

High Performance Manager Ben Serpell provides an update on Judson Clarke, Campbell Gray, Taj Hotton and plenty of other Tigers in this week's injury report.

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While Gray will spend time on the sidelines with a posterolateral knee injury, and Clarke is out for the season with an ACL, there is more positive news for Hotton and Jayden Short, who are listed as tests heading into the Round 15 fixture against the Western Bulldogs.

Jayden Short: Calf, Test

“He has started to make some gains, but he will remain a test for when we face the Western Bulldogs in Round 15,” Serpell said.

Taj Hotton: ACL, Test

“Taj is progressing well," Serpell said.

"He has increased his training load unrestricted and is completing a good volume of football. With more exposure towards the end of this week and next week, we’d expect to see him return to play in the week of AFL Round 15.”

05:09

Sam Lalor: Hamstring, 2-4 weeks
Josh Smillie: Conditioning, 2-4 weeks

“They are both progressing running loads well and increasing strength," Serpell said.

“We can say they are both likely to return between AFL Rounds 16 and 18.”

Josh Gibcus: ACL, 3-6 weeks

“Gibcus is entering the final stages of his rehab, and I can comfortably say that he’s only 3-6 weeks away from returning to play,” Serpell said.

Harry Armstrong: Hamstring, 4-6 weeks

“Harry is progressing well and beginning to integrate into footy,” Serpell said.

“It was quite a significant injury, so we are treating him quite conservatively while also balancing the need for him to get involved with more football for him to develop.”

Thomson Dow: Patella, 4-7 weeks

Serpell said Dow is “making slow progress" on his patella injury.

Campbell Gray: Knee, TBC

“As reported over the weekend, Campbell sustained a posterolateral knee injury,” Serpell said.

“We will allow Campbell to rest this week and try to put together some timelines later in the week once we return to training.”

Judson Clarke: ACL, Season

“We will consult a surgeon this week and work with Judson and the surgeon on deciding the best course of action surrounding impending surgery,” Serpell said.

“His season will be over.”

Player	Injury	Estimated Return
24. Taj Hotton	ACL	Test Hotton ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of his right knee during a training session in May 2024, wiping out most of his draft year. Read Article
15. Jayden Short	Calf	1 week Short has sustained a small soleus strain in his calf. Read Article
22. Sam Lalor	Hamstring	1-3 weeks Lalor suffered a hamstring injury in Dreamtime at the 'G in Round 11. Read Article
16. Josh Smillie	Conditioning	2-4 weeks Smillie injured his hamstring in May, 2025, and is now working on a conditioning block before his return to play. Read Article
34. Harry Armstrong	Hamstring	2-5 weeks Harry Armstrong suffered a high-grade injury to his hamstring tendon at training on April 10. Read Article
18. Josh Gibcus	ACL	2-5 weeks Gibcus is recovering from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which he sustained during Richmond's clash with Carlton in March 2024. Read Article
27. Thomson Dow	Patella	4-7 weeks Thomson Dow dislocated his kneecap during Dreamtime at the 'G in Round 11. Read Article
50. Campbell Gray	Knee	TBC Gray suffered a posterolateral knee injury during the Round 11 VFL game against Sydney. Read Article
23. Judson Clarke	ACL	Season Clarke ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee during the Round 11 VFL game against Sydney. Read Article