RICHMOND superstar Dustin Martin is on track to return for Thursday night's elimination final against Brisbane at the Gabba after completing main training at Punt Road on Monday.
The 31-year-old hasn't played since straining his hamstring against West Coast in round 16 and has only managed eight appearances in 2022 – by far the lowest single season tally across his 13 seasons in the AFL.
After suffering a setback in his recovery from the hamstring strain, the Brownlow medallist has been targeting the first week of September for some time and looks set to play after increasing his training load during the pre-finals bye.
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Martin completed a brief match simulation session at the Swinburne Centre on Monday afternoon and could be used in attack against the Lions in Queensland, given he has only played two games since the start of June.
Richmond has Tuesday off before the travelling party heads north on Wednesday morning ahead of a captain's run at the Gabba, before the team is named later that night.
"You guys usually find out before me, to be honest. He trained today and trained well, so it is up to him and the medical staff," Richmond star Nick Vlastuin said at a press conference on Monday afternoon.
"He looked pretty good so he might be able to force his way back in.
"He is a pretty handy player, so assuming he is right, and he says yes, he'll be in."
Therabody AFL All-Australian half-forward Shai Bolton didn't train on Monday due to a family reason but the club is certain the 23-year-old will be available to face Chris Fagan's side.
Star forward Tom Lynch is also expected to play in the knockout final after recovering from the groin issue that forced him to be substituted out of Richmond's round 23 win over Essendon.
Noah Cumberland will be available on Thursday night after sending a scare through the Tigers camp last Thursday when he was helped off the track with a lower leg injury.
Cumberland trained on Monday along with Jack Graham, who is running out of time to prove his fitness after missing the final game of the home and away season due to a bone stress issue in his foot.
Damien Hardwick's men have lost only two games at the Gabba since 2005 and won the 2020 Grand Final against Geelong at the ground, after the season relocated from Victoria during the coronavirus pandemic.
Brisbane has won the past two encounters at the Gabba – round 10 by 28 points and the 2020 qualifying final by 15 points – but the Tigers defeated them by 47 points in the 2019 qualifying final.
Vlastuin, who has won three premierships and 10 of 15 finals across his 189-game career in yellow and black, said the Tigers head to Queensland with the confidence they can perform at the ground, especially after recovering from 42 points down in round 20 to defeat the Lions at the MCG.
"We are just familiar with that ground. We've played a few big finals up there against Brisbane as well. Think we are one win each," he said.
"There is confidence that we've done it before, we know what the crowd's like, we know what the stadium's like. We travel really well, so we have a lot of confidence."
With three premiership cups on display inside reception at the Swinburne Centre, all the pressure is on Brisbane heading into Thursday night.
The Lions have won only one of six finals since Fagan took on the role at the end of 2016 and helped turned the club around. They have lost four of those finals at the Gabba, exiting out of the finals in straight sets twice.
