KEY TIGER players Chris Newman and Ivan Maric are expected to return to take on Essendon next Saturday night in what looms as a blockbuster clash at the MCG.
The Tigers emerged from Sunday 34-point victors over Melbourne with no fresh injuries to report and back-to-back wins for the first time since rounds two and three.
With their mid-season break in three weeks and a challenging task against West Coast in Perth following Saturday's 'Dreamtime at the 'G' match - the centrepiece of the AFL's Indigenous Round - the Tigers’ inclusions are all the more important.
"We'll get Ivan back and 'Newy' will be available to play. He was one that you sort of take the week as compared to risking three weeks," coach Damien Hardwick said after the game.
Defenders Dylan Grimes (foot) and Ricky Petterd (calf) will be monitored throughout the week and are considered "wait and see" prospects for the clash with the Bombers, who have lost their last two games.
Next week's game is an opportunity not lost on the Tigers, with Hardwick already highlighting the importance of the result in the context of the season.
"There's no doubt it's going to be a big game for both footy clubs, from an Indigenous round point of view but also from a four points," he said.
"These games are getting more and more crucial as we go along."
The win over the Demons was more hard-fought than many had predicted with Mark Neeld's men showing a higher level of intensity and fight than they had in weeks.
Hardwick said while the inaccuracy of the Tigers in front of goal was frustrating, he was pleased they were able to get the win against a side that kept coming.
"We played OK in spurts. Let's not take anything away from Melbourne; I thought they were very, very good today," he said.
"Their aggression, their niggle was outstanding, they played the sort of footy I think they're capable of playing as a club."
The Demons kicked 7.2 in the first half to trail by seven points at the main break, with the Tigers managing 7.9 – their inaccuracy leaving them with the same number of behinds as the Dees had scoring shots.
Hardwick said goal kicking was "the big one" for the Tigers in terms of where improvement could come from.
"If we had put our chances on the board early, it certainly gets the game more in your court, so to speak," he said.
"We certainly didn't make the most of our chances going inside 50. We just couldn't quite get the scoreboard reward we were after.
"You don't take those chances, the other side kicks reasonably straight … they just hang around."
One shot that did go through was by defender Troy Chaplin, who heartily celebrated his fourth quarter goal – his first with Richmond – at the 16-minute mark.
"There's no problem with goal kicking down in the backline," Chaplin joked.
"I don't get to kick too many so I've got to make the most of it.
"'Morro' [Steve Morris] kicked one as well and 'Newy' kicked a couple last week so it's good to see the backs contributing somehow."
Jennifer Phelan is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow her on Twitter @AFL_JenPhelan.
