Troubled Richmond defender Chris Yarran faces an uphill battle to kick start his stalled AFL career at Punt Road.
The 25-year-old didn't play a game for the Tigers this year after he presented himself out of condition at his new club following his trade from Carlton, where he played 119 games.
A calf injury cruelled the start of his 2016 campaign, which ultimately came to an end when he took a leave of absence to deal with a mental health issue.
Yarran engaged the services of a personal trainer during his off-season break, but Richmond football chief Neil Balme admitted he will likely return from holidays below the physical standard required once again.
"He's due back next week, he's going to come back with the younger players and we'll see how he goes. He may well be a touch over(weight)," Balme told SEN on Friday.
"But obviously there's two sides to this. We need to look after the individual, look after Chris, and give him every opportunity to play because we want him to play.
"But with that, obviously there is a standard he's got to meet to be part of the group and it's just a matter of whether he's able to get himself fit enough to do that.
"If he can, then he'll get an opportunity and if he can't he probably won't.
"But it's certainly nothing definite."
Balme refuted a Fairfax Media report that claimed the Tigers would cut their losses with the troubled star before the 2017 season.
Yarran still has two years left to run on the deal he signed when he crossed from the Blues and Balme said no decision had been made on his future.
"He's got a lot of issues to deal with but he's certainly getting the support ... and we'll see how he goes," he said.
"He's been through an enormous amount and is a pretty resilient kid, really. He's had a lot he's had to deal with and we're going to help him as much as we can.
"But the reality is he either can or he can't. He'll be either able to get there or he won't.
"He'll be able to train as hard as he can and get himself in the right condition or he can't and that will work itself out in due course."
