RICHMOND coach Damien Hardwick says it's far more important for the Tigers to build a winning culture than worry about slipping down the draft order when they take on North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

If the Tigers beat the Kangaroos, they are likely to end the home and away season in ninth place - for the seventh time since 1994.

Such a finish would give the club selection 18 in the NAB AFL Draft.

But if they lose to the Roos, they could finish as low as 13th on the ladder and receive pick 12 in the draft.

"Our main focus is to win the game and then move on," Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said at the ME Bank Centre on Thursday.

"Winning breeds confidence, so that's what we're after and that's what we're all about.

"From our perspective, it's all about getting the four points and taking some momentum into season 2012.

"When you put 22 players out on the park they're going to play their guts out.

"That's the great thing about our footy club and our guys in general.

"We feel that for the majority of the year they’ve been really competitive in a lot of games and we're looking forward to the same effort this week."

Hardwick said he is expecting the Kangaroos to play with plenty of intensity and spirit despite the Roos bombing out of the finals race with a big loss to St Kilda last weekend.

"They're a competitive footy club and every time they play they're always a side that you never underestimate," Hardwick said.

"They're a proud footy club, a great footy club, and Brad [Scott] has got them playing some really exciting footy, so I think it's going to be a game that people will thoroughly enjoy."

The Tigers will be missing feisty forward Jake King, who copped a two-match suspension for a sling tackle on Adelaide defender Andy Otten.

"I'm disappointed, but we move on," Hardwick said. "That's footy. We'll just take it and we'll get on with this week."