RICHMOND is hopeful triple premiership midfielder Shane Edwards will return for this week's Grand Final rematch with Geelong as the Tigers look towards September without finals hero Dustin Martin.

Martin was ruled out for the rest of the season with a kidney injury that has seen him remain in Queensland following the Tigers' impressive win over Brisbane on Friday night. 

They will also lose wingman Kamdyn McIntosh with a hamstring strain suffered early in their on-the-road victory over the Lions, although coach Damien Hardwick said Edwards is good chance to return from his ankle injury.

>> RICHMOND'S RECORD WITHOUT DUSTY BELOW

"Shane Edwards is pretty close so we think he'll be a strong possibility to play. Dion (Prestia’s) still a little bit away which is a bit disappointing but we just have to make sure when he gets back he doesn't miss any more footy so Shane is probable," Hardwick said post-game on Friday.

Edwards has played 12 games this season while Prestia is working through his return from a hamstring strain in an injury-hit season.

The Tigers returned to Victoria on Saturday having restored their  top-eight hopes but without Martin, who has been ruled out for the remainder of 2021. They sit in ninth position on the ladder, 3.7 per cent behind eighth-placed Essendon. 

Richmond has hit an unlucky run of injuries this season and facing an extended stint without Martin (watch the incident in the player below) has been rare for the Tigers since the superstar match-winner debuted in 2010. 

Martin's durability has been a feature of his famed career, with the talisman Tiger missing only nine games since playing in round one of his debut season. It means the 30-year-old has played 260 of a possible 269 games.

One of the games without him came in round seven earlier this year, when Martin was concussed in his milestone 250th match and missed the following week's clash with the Western Bulldogs under the AFL's protocols.

They were able to account for the Bulldogs that night at the MCG minus Martin but Richmond's record without him is mixed, with the Tigers registering four losses in his absence by an average of 39 points across his career but claiming five wins at an average of 20.4 points. 

The Cats snapped a three-game losing streak to Richmond earlier this season with a 13-goal-to-two second half to trounce the Tigers by 63 points in round eight. 

Richmond without Dusty

R6, 2010 loss to Geel by 108 points

R15, 2012 defeated Melb by 23

R16, 2012 loss to GC by 2

R22, 2014 defeated StK by 26

R12, 2018 loss to Port by 14

R4, 2019 defeated Port by 7

R21, 2019 defeated Carl by 28

R3, 2020 loss to Haw by 32

R7, 2021 defeated WB by 22