Midfielder Ben Cousins has withdrawn from the Richmond team to play Adelaide on Sunday with back soreness.

Cousins pulled out of the team on Friday after failing to recover in time from a heavy knock sustained in last weekend's big loss to Geelong.

"Ben was very sore early in the week, but we believed he was still a fair chance to come up for the match," said Richmond football operations manager Ross Monaghan.

"His soreness has persisted throughout the week, so the decision was made that he wouldn't be able to play at the level required."

Cousins' place in the expanded squad of 25 has been taken by Adam Thomson.

Richmond and Adelaide are the only two clubs yet to register a win in 2010.

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