RICHMOND remains confident skipper Trent Cotchin will line up in Friday’s mouth-watering clash with Port Adelaide despite "precautionary" management of his hamstring on Saturday.
The three-time premiership captain ended the weekend's loss to Sydney with his hamstring iced, with coach Damien Hardwick saying the move was precautionary due to Cotchin's history of hamstring injuries in recent years.
But the Tigers say the 30-year-old has not suffered any new injury and at this stage expect him to make the trip to Adelaide Oval to take on the Power in a rematch of last year's preliminary final on Friday night.
Cotchin was a late withdrawal from the Tigers' round one clash with Carlton due to illness.
Richmond faces at least two forced changes from its loss to the red-hot Swans at the MCG, with Dion Prestia suffering another hamstring strain in the defeat and Kamdyn McIntosh ruled out with concussion after a heavy hit late in the game (watch it in the player below).
Triple premiership defender Bachar Houli will be considered after playing in the VFL on the weekend and getting through unscathed, however Hardwick revealed post-game that gun defender Nick Vlastuin is set to miss at least another month after subsequent scans showed his round one knee injury was worse than initially thought.
Jack Ross, who impressed in the VFL on Saturday, appears a likely inclusion for Prestia, with the Tigers also bullish on young midfield pair Riley Collier-Dawkins and Will Martyn as both press claims for a senior debut.
Running half-back Hugo Ralphsmith is another gunning for a debut having been named an emergency last week, while Mabior Chol is also expected to be considered, particularly given his impact against the Power in their thrilling mid-season game last year when he kicked two goals.