Richmond are expecting to have several senior players ready for their final pre-season practice match against Collingwood next week as new coach Adem Yze looks to shape his side for Opening Round.
The Tigers amassed a strong win over Melbourne in the opening four periods of play in Sunday's hitout at Casey Fields, overcoming a slow start to pile on ten unanswered goals before the first two terms came to an end.
Richmond got the job done without an array of star names, as Dustin Martin, Dylan Grimes, Toby Nankervis and Tim Taranto were managed for the game, while Dion Prestia (hamstring), Liam Baker (family reason), Tom Lynch (building match fitness), Jacob Bauer (hamstring) and Liam Fawcett (back).
A majority of that contingent took part in a training session on Sunday morning and are likely to face the Magpies next Thursday for the Charity Shield match at Ikon Park.
Prestia will be touch and go for the Community Series after suffering a hamstring strain at a recent intra-club session, with the Tigers hoping the veteran midfielder can notch up some matchplay minutes before their home and away campaign commences.
"I think there'll be a few," assistant coach Ben Rutten said on Sunday of the likely changes for the Magpies encounter.
"We had six or seven guys you'd expect to be in our best team train this morning. So there's a fair few of those we expect to be getting some game time into them next week.
"I think [Prestia] is one of them. We'll wait and see how he got through today. He's missed the last couple of weeks. We don't want to take any risk at this time of the year, but certainly want to get some game minutes into him before we start the season."
Lynch won't be cleared to play until after the Tigers' Opening Round clash with Gold Coast as the Richmond spearhead looks to overcome a foot injury that has kept him sidelined since April.
In his absence, defender-turned-forward Noah Balta and new recruit Jacob Koschitzke combined for five goals against Melbourne to show positive signs in their first competitive game together.
Rutten said the club was pleased with the outcome of Sunday's pre-season meeting as their new-look forward line flourished, but still believes there's room for improvement.
"It'll be a work in progress for a little period," he said.
"With Kozi coming across from Hawthorn, we know what he can do but also expect he'll take a bit of time to settle in.
"Balta up there as well. He's played a bit of forward but predominantly in defence last year. So a bit of that cohesion will take a little bit of time, but I thought they continued to work really well and create some isolation at times which was good to see.
"We're really pleased (with Balta's efforts). He's a big strong guy and competed really well. Some of his chase pressure as well was great. We think we've got some good options up there.
"Both of them have different skill sets and strengths, and we saw them on show today."
Supplemental Selection Period prospect Mykelti Lefau replaced Balta in the fourth term and contributed to the goal sheet in his first of four periods before fellow AFL aspirant Mitch Schofield joined the proceedings.
The Tigers will have a decision to make on whether they sign one of the SSP talents or keep their vacant list spot open come Monday's 5:00pm signing deadline.
Rutten added that the game against Melbourne was unlikely to decide who the frontrunner for an AFL contract is, having had the pair training at Punt Road for months now.
"We've got a couple of guys who have done a heap of work over the last couple of months," Rutten said of the club's SSP prospects.
"Mykelti got an early look, and Schoey will come on and play some game time as well. Whilst it's great to see them have a hitout against another team, we've seen them for the last two or three months.
"It's not all going to come down to this game, but certainly [Lefau's] start to this game was pretty dynamic and combative, which we love. We know that that's what he can do."
Richmond's upcoming pre-season meeting with Collingwood is scheduled for Thursday, February 28 at Ikon Park, which will be their final game before an Opening Round trip to the Gold Coast on Saturday, March 9.
