RICHMOND'S experienced players will be held back from early NAB Challenge exposure with Damien Hardwick planning on fielding a young squad against the Western Bulldogs later this month.

 

The Tigers kick off their pre-season games on February 28 against the Dogs at Whitten Oval, before travelling to Albury to face Port Adelaide on March 14.

 

They finish with North Melbourne on March 21 at Etihad Stadium.

 

After including nearly all of their senior players in early games last year, Hardwick says they will likely assemble a squad of players aged around and under 23 for their opening clash.

 

"It will probably be a little bit different this year," Hardwick told AFL.com.au.

 

"Against the Bulldogs we'll probably take a younger, more inexperienced squad, like an under 23 squad I suppose you'd say.

 

"Then the senior players will probably come in for NAB two and three."

 

 

Exceptions to that plan will likely include draftee Corey Ellis (foot) and Reece Conca (knee), while Ben Lennon may not be ready after post-season hip surgery.

 

The pre-season is unusually long this year because of the Cricket World Cup, with the Tigers opening the home-and-away season on April 2 against Carlton.

 

The Tigers have a relatively healthy list at the moment, with the likes of Brett Deledio being managed and Matt Thomas coming back from knee surgery.

 

Deledio was troubled by a persistent Achilles problem early last season that required careful management, and the Tigers are being cautious with his loads to ensure it doesn't flare again.

 

Hardwick said they were mindful of ensuring their more experienced bodies were ready to face the Blues when the premiership season began.

 

"We feel we don't need to get the three games into [the older players] this year," he said.  

 

"They're going really well at the moment so we'll just try and get them through to round one unscathed.

 

"We'll still take in a pretty strong squad to round one but we probably won't take those guys over 24, 25 years of age into all three [pre-season games]."