RICHMOND will hand a debut to Jack Ross against Port Adelaide on Saturday as coach Damien Hardwick prepares to make up to six changes to his depleted line-up.

With superstar Dustin Martin suspended and skipper Trent Cotchin and defender Jayden Short out injured, 18-year-old Ross will play his first game under a first-time captain, Shane Edwards.

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The No.43 pick in last year's NAB AFL Draft, Ross will join Jacob Townsend, Shai Bolton and new vice-captain Dylan Grimes for the trip to Adelaide Oval after strong recent VFL form. 

Defender Bachar Houli, who has missed the past two matches with a hamstring injury, will look to prove his fitness during Thursday's main session after training fully on Tuesday.

Hardwick will also keep close tabs on Josh Caddy on the track, with his return from an ankle injury to be determined on how he recovers from gastro suffered early in the week.

As the coach prepares for his first match in charge without any of the 'Big Four' – Martin, Cotchin, Jack Riewoldt and Alex Rance – the inclusion of Ross is set to provide instant excitement.

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"We've loved the way he plays, he's tough, he's hard, he brings a real Richmond attitude to the way we're going to play this ball game," Hardwick said on Thursday.

I think he's one of those kids that slept with a footy when he was a young kid. - Damien Hardwick on Jack Ross

"He's a very quiet lad but he plays the game in a brutal way and I think Richmond supporters are going to fall in love with him."

Martin trained with the main group at Punt Road after receiving a $2500 fine for his offensive hand gestures in last week's loss to Greater Western Sydney. However, Hardwick said the Brownlow medallist was yet to address the playing group over his actions. 

"He'll address it when he needs to address it, we understand," Hardwick said.

"We're disappointed he missed a game and it's not like him to do that. He understands that and he's incredible apologetic on the day, at the time.

"It (tagging from Giant Matt De Boer) did genuinely affect him – he's not one of those guys who goes around belting blokes behind the ball. It was disappointing, he understands that, he's cost his side and we've got to work our way through it, both with him, as a coach and the playing group."

Hardwick added that he had received clarity from the AFL umpiring department after last week questioning the lack of support for Martin against De Boer.

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"The rules are there, we understand that," he said.

"We as coaches have great days, bad days; umpires have great days, bad days, it's part of the game. We're not too fussed."

Hardwick identified Port Adelaide's speed as a major weapon to stop at the Adelaide Oval.

"They've got a great core group of high-end talent and then they've injected some young kids who have brought about a spark, which is what good footy clubs do," he said.

"Ken's (Hinkley) got them playing (an) exciting, fast, attacking brand of footy. They use the corridor the most in the AFL, they handball the most in the AFL, most kicks in the AFL."

Admitting Riewoldt had been "doing my head in this week," by pushing for a recall from a fractured arm, Hardwick said his spearhead would come under consideration for round five against Sydney.

Cotchin ran laps during the early parts of Thursday's session as he prepares for up to three weeks on the sidelines with an injured left hamstring.

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