Former George Town and North Launceston ruckman Toby Nankervis' 2019 season has hit another speed-bump with the 25-year-old withdrawn from Richmond's clash with West Coast.
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Set to take on the reigning premiers on Sunday, the Tigers will be without their preferred tall due to general soreness, with the 2017 premiership player having already missed 11 weeks this season after succumbing to an adductor injury in round eight.
Alternating between running and walking laps at training on Friday, a lower-back complaint appeared to be bothering Nankervis, adding another injury to an unfortunately growing list.
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Originally drafted to Sydney in 2014, the George Town product was traded to Richmond in their premiership season and has been the number one option through the middle ever since, enjoying individual success alongside the team's victories.
In 55 games at the Tigers, the man known as Nank averaged 24 hit-outs a game and has grown a reputation as one of the league's most dependable big men behind names like Brodie Grundy, Max Gawn and Stefan Martin.
Nankervis now faces both a race against time and form for a spot in the Tigers' best 22 for the finals series with Ivan Soldo, Mabior Chol and the called-up Noah Balta all gunning for his spot.
Winning their last five games on the trot after a slow start, the Tigers are in ominous form at the MCG approaching the finals as they look to redeem themselves after last year's rapid exit from the competition.
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