Mark Coughlan Biography

Richmond has cut Graham Polak, Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls, Cleve Hughes, Nathan Brown, Mark Coughlan, Kayne Pettifer, Adam Pattison, Dean Putt and Jarrod Silvester.

Richmond announce that Nathan Brown and Mark Coughlan will not continue their careers with Richmond and will play their final games for the club against West Coast.

New Richmond coach Damien Hardwick is expected to conduct a massive cleanout of the Tigers list with players such as Nathan Brown and Mark Coughlan in the firing line.

Richmond's Mark Coughlan is free to try to revive his AFL career after being cleared of headbutting by the VFL tribunal tonight.

Coughlan was reported on a misconduct charge after he became involved in a scuffle with St Kilda-listed player Colm Begley during a VFL game last Saturday.

Richmond's axed veterans were on the end of an embarrassing loss after suiting up for the Tigers' VFL side this afternoon.

Senior players Joel Bowden, Mark Coughlan and Jordan McMahon were all part of the Coburg Tigers' 45-point loss, while other AFL regulars Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls, Jake King and Jay Schulz also played.

Most were dropped from Richmond's senior side after coach Terry Wallace stepped down a fortnight ago and interim replacement Jade Rawlings opted for youth over experience.

Interim Richmond coach Jade Rawlings says opting for youth in his first selection does not spell the end for experienced players.

Joel Bowden, Jordie McMahon, Troy Simmonds, Mark Coughlan and Kayne Pettifer were all axed.

But Rawlings said on Friday ahead of training at Punt Road he had talked extensively with all concerned and no problems existed with any of them.

"We haven't put a line through any person on our list,'' Rawlings said.

"I said to all the guys, 'There is no cap on whether it is one week, eight weeks or never again'.

"They will need to go to Coburg and do something about elements of the game that we have discussed with them to be able to give them a chance to be able to come back in the senior side.''

Joel Bowden, in particular, has received strong support from Richmond supporters after his axing.

"I totally understand why he's got plenty of support - I'd be disappointed for him if there wasn't some support," Rawlings said.

"It's been over probably a month - he's been on the borderline once or twice this year already, and to his credit he's fought back really well.

"He can easily generate the ball, he's shown that, but there's just some elements of his game he needs to tighten up."

Rawlings denied he was trying to make a statement with the axings.

"It is a lot of changes from one week to another, but we want to move forward, picking a team we think is going to help shape the future of the footy club and also reward form," Rawlings said.

"People ask 'Is it a statement?' - I don't know if it's a statement, it's just a fact that a lot of those players who are out of the side now haven't been in great form."

Richmond caretaker coach Jade Rawlings clearly signaled the club's intentions for the rest of the season on Thursday with five experienced campaigners dropped in favour of youth ahead of round 12 of the Toyota AFL Premiership season.

Troy Simmonds, Mark Coughlan, Joel Bowden, Jordan McMahon and Kayne Pettifer were all omitted after Rawlings' first selection meeting in charge at Punt Road.

Richmond is prepared to send Matthew Richardson to Germany for advanced treatment on his hamstring and be more informed on his future.

The treatment is the same undertaken by teammate Mark Coughlan who has made a successful return to football after chronic hamstring injuries.

Pleased with his return to football after years missed through injury, Richmond midfielder Mark Coughlan now wants to increase his impact.

"I've pulled up pretty well," he said.

"Telstra Dome's a really nice surface and especially having a win, we always tend to pull up a little bit better.

"I'll hopefully play this week and get a bit of form up and it's just about getting the run into the legs now.

"I'd played a few games in the VFL before last week, and hopefully I'll get a few senior games in and get into the swing of things."

Richmond is expected to select Mark Coughlan to play in what will be his first AFL match in nearly three years.

Mark Coughlan, has roared back into contention for a senior call-up after a 41-possession, 10-tackle display for Coburg.

Luckless Richmond midfielder Mark Coughlan has had another setback, a slight knee injury.

Richmond midfielder Mark Coughlan admits he is nervous about making his AFL comeback after more than two years in the wilderness.

Mark Coughlan receives treatment for his troublesome hamstring at the clinic of Dr Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfarth in Munich, Germany.

Coughlan's treatment abroad involved up to 102 injections, consisting of honey and cockerel crest extracts, over 12 days to the base of his spine and into his hamstring.

Coughlan hopes to return to the field in two weeks following his treatment.

Muller-Wohlfarth is the club doctor for Bayern Munich, the team doctor for the German national soccer team and is renowned for his ability to treat unconventional injuries.