The former Richmond midfielder falls out of contract at the end of the season and Adelaide coach Brenton Sanderson has confirmed that Tambling needs to produce something special this year if he is to survive on the Crows' list.
Tambling has failed to cement his spot in Adelaide's side in the two years since crossing from Punt Road, but his 2012 was far from ordinary.
He only managed one AFL game, but he was named an emergency five times and took out Sturt's best and fairest in the SANFL.
A back injury has ruled the 26-year-old out of Adelaide's season opener against Essendon on Friday night, but Sanderson predicted he would get ample opportunity to plead his case for a new contract.
"Richard Tambling trained the house down today…he can't do much more to impress the coaching staff, the work he's done this summer has been outstanding and he's going to get his opportunity this year," Sanderson said.
"He needs to have a big season, a contract season, and I'm sure he's going to play well...I think sometimes in his endevours to impress us, he sometimes pulls the trigger on kicks that no one can kick.
"He won't play this week but he's one I think will play a lot of footy this year for us."
While Tambling battles to hang on to his career, young gun Brad Crouch's is just taking off.
The supremely talented teenager spent last season playing for West Adelaide in the SANFL, too young to represent his AFL side.
But so good was his form, Sanderson insisted he would have started for the Crows on several occasions.
"Crouchy's been waiting for a long time, he was here for the 12 months last season and there were times I would a have loved to have played him last year," he said.
"At times last year with his form in the local competition, he was in our best 22, we couldn't play him.
"There's going to be times this year where he just bashes the door down demanding that we play him, whether that's this week or next week or in round 10, I'm sure it's going to come."
If Crouch lines up on Friday night, as expected, he's been advised by Sanderson to stay away from using the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority's ongoing investigation into Essendon as verbal ammunition.
While star Bomber Brendan Goddard predicted on Monday that Adelaide would "abuse" his teammates, Sanderson warned his players against throwing any "cheap shots".
"There is a fair bit of romance in this game I guess externally because both clubs have had their issues in the off-season, but we'll just focus on what we can control," Sanderson said.
"I'd be disappointed if our players tried to unsettle Essendon with any cheap shots, that's not what footy's about."
Richard Tambling is a defender in NAB AFL Fantasy. He averaged 30 points in 2012. Register your team at our AFL Fantasy Hub.
Harry Thring is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Harry.
