The season has not even started and already the club has suffered a week from Hell. Mid week it was announced that our number one ruckman and alternate forward option Brad Ottens had suffered a prolapsed disc in his back and would be out for half the season. That shoots down a huge part of Richmond's 2003 game plan. To make it all better we went to Sydney and were hammered by an in form Barry Hall. To rub salt into the wounds we could have put the game beyond them, but Richo, who with the injury to Ottens has to make the most of his scoring opportunities, kicked six behinds early in the match, he was aided and abetted by an inaccurate Ray Hall, another big man we need to fire up forward to help cover the loss of Otto. Rodan did not get much of a mention, but one report did say that he was busy and he was named amongst the best players. No official practice match next week, but the season proper begins on the 28th with an engagement against the rampaging Pies.