Dion Prestia: Josh Gibcus out for 2026 after Richmond books knee surgery
dion prestia aside, Richmond has taken another hit: Josh Gibcus will not play again in 2026 after the club booked surgery for his latest knee problem. The defender's season is over after he sprained his ACL in the VFL last weekend, leaving Richmond to manage one more long absence in a week already heavy with injuries.
Josh Gibcus and Richmond
Richmond has set a brace-first plan for the 23-year-old, who will wear one on his knee for the next six weeks before surgery in eight weeks to stabilise the joint. The club has settled on a six-month rehab plan, and this is not a full reconstruction because he did not rupture his ACL.
The injury is to his left knee, the opposite knee he previously had reconstructed. That detail sits at the center of why this setback lands so hard for Richmond: Gibcus was already trying to rebuild his place after an injury-ravaged stretch that has left him with just four games in the past four seasons.
Gibcus' injury run
His first big setback came at the start of 2023, when he suffered a severe hamstring injury. Then, in round one, 2024, he tore his ACL. He played in round one this year against Carlton before returning to the VFL, but last weekend brought another knee issue that ended this campaign.
Richmond had consulted a number of surgeons before booking the operation, and the timeline now points to a long rehab rather than a quick return. Gibcus had managed 18 games in his debut campaign, but that promise has been interrupted for most of the next four seasons.
Richmond's injury week
The blow to Gibcus came during a horror week on the injury front for Richmond. Sam Lalor was ruled out with an Achilles injury at training on Thursday, and Josh Smillie, the club's 2024 top-10 draft pick, suffered another quad injury that pushed back his return to the field.
For Richmond, the immediate task is clear: wait through the brace period, then surgery, then a six-month rehabilitation plan built around a left knee that has already taken heavy damage. The defender's season is gone, and the club's injury list keeps growing as the year moves on.
