Star forward Tom Lynch could miss the rest of Richmond's AFL season as he slowly recovers from his broken right foot.
Lynch was injured during the Tigers' round-four loss against the Western Bulldogs in April, in a major blow to the club's 2023 aspirations.
Former coach Damien Hardwick was left devastated after the match by the injury to the spearhead who has kicked 456 goals during his 216-game career.
The Tigers will not rush Lynch back during the final eight rounds of the season, even if they remain in the finals race.
"The bone-healing process takes time and we want to be absolutely certain that it is right before we step up Tom's training load," Richmond high-performance manager Luke Meehan said.
"While we remain hopeful that we can get him back at some stage later in the season, it is still difficult to put an exact timeframe on.
"Tom will have another scan on the fracture in a couple of weeks, giving us a much clearer picture.
"He is clearly a significant player and someone with a lot of football ahead of him, so his long-term health is our priority.
"Any long-term injury is frustrating but Tom is a pro and attacking his rehab really hard, providing leadership around the group and direction for younger forwards."
Richmond will take on the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba on Thursday night, having won their last three games before the bye.
