Richmond's Chris Yarran faces a battle to pull on an AFL Guernsey ever again.
The 25-year-old joined the Tigers from Carlton at the end of 2015, however, failed to play a game this year, after beingย granted indefinite leave to deal with personalย issues.
New Richmond football manager Neil Balme told SEN Radio on Friday that Yarran be will given time to prove he should be retained on the list.
โHeโs due back next week, heโs going to come back with the younger players and weโll see how he goes. He may well be a touch over (weight),โ heย said.
โObviously, heโs had some genuine issues getting himself back in order to play. Heโs working really hard.
"Thereโs two sides to this. Obviously, we need to look after the individual, look after Chris and give him every opportunity to play because we want him to play.
"But with that, there is a standard heโs got to meet to be part of the group and itโs just a matter of whether heโs able to get himself fit enough to do that.
โIf he can then heโll get an opportunity and if he canโt he probably wonโt.โ
While Yarran faces an uphill battle to play senior footy this season, Balme said he will be given every opportunity to prove himself, denying any decision on his future has already been made.
โHeโs been through an enormous amount and is a pretty resilient kid, really. Heโs had a lot heโs had to deal with and weโre going to help him as much as we can,โ Balmeย said.
โBut the reality is he either can or he canโt. Heโll be either able to get there or he wonโt.
โHeโll be able to train as hard as he can and get himself in the right condition or he canโt and that will work itself out in due course.
โWe havenโt made any of those decisions.
โHeโs got a lot of issues to deal with but heโs certainly getting the support to do it (get back) and weโll see how he goes.โ
Yarranย spent seven seasons at Carlton, playing 119 games, after being selected pick No.6 in the 2008 National Draft. He then joined Richmond in 2015 in exchange for pick
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