Richmond’s Injury Woes Deepen as Losing Streak Worsens After North Melbourne Mauling

Sunday turned out to be a disappointing day for Richmond, who suffered a heavy defeat against North Melbourne, while also potentially losing four players to injury.

Both the Tigers and the Kangaroos are currently on similar paths, having focused heavily on the draft to rejuvenate their squads.

However, North Melbourne has made significant strides in their rebuild, as evidenced by their commanding 20.10 (130) to 7.13 (55) victory.

The day only got worse for Richmond as they encountered multiple injuries.

Defender Sam Banks was taken off the field with a suspected broken collarbone following a heavy tackle in the first quarter.

The 23-year-old was hurt during a challenge with North Melbourne’s Luke Davies-Uniacke and was in considerable distress as he was assisted from the field with his arm held close to his body.

Shortly after, small forward Maurice Rioli Jr suffered a hamstring injury while attempting to make a tackle, and veteran midfielder Tim Taranto was also ruled out due to concussion.

This means Taranto will miss the upcoming match against Melbourne on Friday night as he enters the concussion protocols.

Additionally, promising draftee Sam Grlj left the ground nursing an injury in the fourth quarter and spent the last 11 minutes on the sidelines, raising further concerns over his fitness.

With five bench rotations available, the Tigers found themselves down to just one by the end of the 75-point defeat.

Richmond has now lost 18 of their last 20 games, including a disheartening 11 in a row. They remain the only winless team in 2026.

In contrast, North Melbourne is experiencing a resurgence after languishing in the lower tier of the ladder throughout the 2020s. They will finish the round in the top six with a percentage of 121.

Paul Curtis shone for the Kangaroos, kicking six goals—three in each of the first and last quarters.

Star midfielder Harry Sheezel was dominant, collecting 39 disposals, while veteran Caleb Daniel also made a significant contribution with 32 disposals.

For Richmond, Seth Campbell managed to score two goals from four chances, and Jack Ross also kicked two, along with 26 disposals.

Looking ahead, North Melbourne will aim to build on this momentum as they travel to Canberra to face GWS at Manuka Oval in round seven.