RICHMOND skipper Katie Brennan completed a short training session away from the main group as she pushes to prove her fitness ahead of Saturday night's must-win Dreamtime match against Essendon.
Brennan – who has a history of foot and ankle issues – tweaked her right ankle against Narrm, failing to see out the game last week.
The 32-year-old only incorporated with the main group when taking set shots, working one-on-one with a trainer otherwise, completing run-throughs, change-of-direction drills and kicking.
The Tigers need to win at least one of their final two matches (the other against Hawthorn) in order to lock away a finals appearance.
Emergency Tam Luke is the likely inclusion should Brennan be a late withdrawal.
Wingers Tessa Lavey and Maddie Shevlin and forwards Sarah Hosking and Emelia Yassir were on light training loads as the Richmond squad was put through its paces in the 34-degree Darwin heat (with 60 per cent humidity) at TIO Stadium.
Groundskeepers were putting the final touches on the ground's marking, while girls from the Stars Foundation – selected for their strong application to their education and sport – ran water.
Gatorade slushies were the order of the day, and the players retreated to the cool room next to the bench at the end of their session.
The Tigers will be wearing their Indigenous jumper designed by men's player Maurice Rioli jnr and his mother, Alberta Kerinauia, the pair posing for a photo with their jumper in front of the Maurice Rioli stand.
Rising players from the NT talent pathways also joined in on the training session.
Essendon only managed about 20 minutes out on the track for its captain's run in the late afternoon, stymied by lightning.
The Bombers were forced into the gym at AFLNT headquarters for 40 minutes, former PE teacher and current coach Natalie Wood in her element as she kept her troops entertained with a number of fun, movement games which elicited plenty of noise and excitement.
Players then split into groups of four, sketching out squares with cones and continuing the school theme with games of downball (or four-square, depending on your state of choice).
The temperature had dipped to a mere 25 degrees by the time Essendon finally got onto the field, completing a short run around, closely studied by students from Xavier and Tiwi Colleges.
The kids were invited onto the field for the final minutes; one student, Molly, bringing the house down with a stunning barefoot snap off one step in the pocket, much to the delight of Bonnie Toogood.
