RICHMOND coach Adem Yze has hit back at claims of poor effort and intensity in the 91-point loss to the Western Bulldogs.

Speaking on Access All Areas, Matthew Lloyd described the performance as "insipid", and that there were "senior players who didn't really have a crack."

"I'm not going to comment on what other people have to say about us, I just know from our intent and effort – the tackle numbers and pressure, in the third quarter, I think we were over 200 for our pressure," Yze said on Thursday.

"There's elements and parts of our game that our boys are trying really hard, it's just our execution. At times last week, when you're talking about effort and running – they were running on top of the ground, and we had two players off the ground with limited rotations, so it just got the better of us in the end. 

"Like I said, I couldn't fault our efforts around the contest against a quality (opposition) – we gave some opportunities to younger players to play against some quality midfielders in the second half, and I thought their intent and effort was OK. It is what it is."

Yze said the Tigers were outplayed by the Dogs in all three areas of the game.

"We gave too much territory, got smashed at stoppage against a good stoppage team, and then our offence was a bit scattered," he said.

"We've worked hard on all three phases this week and we've got a big opportunity to rectify that against a big side in Brisbane."

The coach said star midfielder Liam Baker (corked leg) and former skipper Dylan Grimes (back) were 50-50 to return against the Lions.

At training on Thursday, Grimes walked laps alongside Jack Ross (foot), while Baker trained with the main group, bouncing around in his customary manner.

The Tigers will have to make four changes after yet another series of injuries stemmed from the Dogs game, with Maurice Rioli jnr (syndesmosis), Sam Banks (concussion), Jack Graham (hamstring) and Seth Campbell (knee) all sidelined, pushing the injury list to 15.

With Kamdyn McIntosh, Kane McAuliffe and Baker likely to be recalled, it leaves the last spot to one of Matt Coulthard or potential debutants Steely Green or Kaleb Smith.

"There's a chance [of a debutant] every week," Yze said with a laugh. 

"Touch wood, we've got to get through training, but we're getting to a point where there's only 20-odd players to choose from. So if that happens, it's obviously exciting. 

"That's the silver lining, while we're going through this, guys are going to get opportunities. 

"To be fair, our VFL squad is in really good form, they came up against a really good VFL team (Footscray) and held their own for the majority of the game. All our AFL-listed guys who have been playing VFL are in good form."