JACK Riewoldt says the Tigers are being cautious not to "smash" each other at training as contact drills returned on Monday ahead of round two next month.
But one player who is in doubt to be ready for Richmond's clash with Collingwood is defender Bachar Houli, who continues to battle a calf injury.
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The reigning premiers trained as a full group on Monday for the first time since resuming at Punt Road last week.
They completed tackling and contested drills plus also some match simulation as they gear up for their June 11 clash with fellow flag contenders Collingwood.
Clubs are wary of striking the right balance between competitive drills and losing players due to injury in this period.
"It's a tricky [one], because there's obviously the contact aspect of it and there's also the physical demands of what is the right amount of work to be doing in a really unknown situation," he said.
"Our guys have got it right – we need to do some sort of contact but we don't want to be smashing each other.
"We know with the fact the season is shorter and backing up is going to be really important we can't go out there and smash blokes into the ground because this year is the year everyone needs a full list.
"For us it's about getting that balance right and we trust our coaches and fitness staff have really set us up for the restart of the season."
Houli trained solo at Monday's session, working on the outer wing and finishing his fitness work before the main group begun its main drills.
With the club taking a cautious approach with the 32-year-old's recent calf tweak, the dual premiership backman could be unlikely to face the Magpies in 17 days.
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"Bachar's had a couple of small calf issues, this one's nothing major," Riewoldt said.
"It's just precautionary and when you start to develop a bit of a history with a calf you have to be really diligent and careful with it.
"I'm not sure whether he will put his hand up in two weeks' time, he's assured me personally that it's not as bad as what was first reported.
"If there's an element of risk that outweighs the reward, then we'll go down the path of another week or two off. When he's right to go, he'll be back. We know how important he is and how much of a big-game player he is, so [there's] no risks with Bachar, he's too important."
