Tom Sims Returns After 286 Days for Richmond VFL

tom sims is back after 286 days out, with Richmond VFL set to use him in Saturday morning’s Dreamtime clash against Essendon. The 20-year-old forward will play for the first time at any level since August 9, 2025, when he dislocated his elbow in a VFL match.

Windy Hill Reopens The Door

The Round 9 match starts at 10:00am AEST on Saturday 23 May at Windy Hill, giving Richmond VFL four AFL inclusions for the trip. Sims joins Kaleb Smith, Samson Ryan and Liam Fawcett in the side.

That group replaces Sam Phillips, Dan Lowther, James Milner and Austin Johnson, a clear swing in availability for a Richmond line-up that has been waiting for Sims to get back on the park. He was also held out through the pre-season by a foot injury, which stretched the gap between games well beyond the elbow problem that started it.

Sims' Lost Stretch

Sims played 11 AFL games last season and had shown enough around the ground to make his absence a real factor for Richmond’s depth. His return gives the VFL side another AFL-listed option in a match built around Dreamtime, and it comes after a spell that began with the elbow dislocation on August 9.

The timing also matters for the way Richmond can structure its forward group on Saturday morning. With Sims, Smith, Ryan and Fawcett back in, the club has a stronger selection base than it did last week, while Essendon will be facing a Richmond outfit that has added four AFL players to its Round 9 team.

Richmond's Round 9 Mix

For Richmond VFL, the immediate shift is simple: Sims is available again, and he is not returning alone. The club has chosen to bring back four AFL inclusions for Windy Hill, which changes the shape of the side before the opening bounce and gives supporters a clear marker on where the list sits after a long injury interruption.

Saturday morning now becomes the first test of how Sims looks after 286 days away. Richmond has its answer in team selection, and the match at Windy Hill is the first chance to see whether the forward can pick up where he left off.