Tom Lynch will make a welcome return from injury when Richmond faces Carlton in their traditional round-one blockbuster at the MCG on Thursday night.

Tigers coach Adem Yze confirmed Lynch had recovered from his preseason concussion and was cleared to play the Blues.

Lynch has played only eight matches in the past two seasons because of injury, with his 2024 campaign ending in round 14.

“The players around him really need him, we have a really young forward-line group,” Yze said of Lynch’s return.

“To have the ‘godfather’ down here to help out, he sits in our meetings [and] he’s obviously such a great leader.

“He’ll have his young minions around him … and the big fella will give us a contest.”

Number-one draft pick Sam Lalor and fellow draftees Luke Trainor and Harry Armstrong will debut against the Blues.

Lalor suffered a fractured jaw and concussion in a preseason match against West Coast last month, but Yze said he was ready to play.

“We knew it was only minor, only a hairline fracture, and a lot of players have come back really quick from that,” Yze said.

“He’s such a diligent kid and we wouldn’t put him at risk. If he wasn’t ready to play, we wouldn’t play him. He was itching to play.”

Blues name Silvagni for Tigers encounter

The Blues confirmed Jack Silvagni would play his first AFL match in exactly 600 days after an ACL tear wiped out his 2024 season.

Silvagni has played mainly as a forward, but will return in defence against the Tigers.

“SOS (Silvagni) has probably only been the last month — if you want to call it — the final piece … because he’s come off the ACL,” Blues coach Michael Voss said.

Sam Walsh has recovered from a hamstring injury, and Voss noted this was the first time since he started coaching the Blues in 2022 that he had the star on-baller available for round one.

Blues father-son recruit Lucas Camporeale will make his AFL debut and former GWS defender Nick Haynes will play his first match for Carlton.

Voss said he was hopeful Charlie Curnow would return in round two after being sidelined with a knee injury.

AAP