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AAP
Anna Harrington

Decimated Tigers ponder more forward time for Martin

The explosive Dustin Martin could spend more time forward when the Tigers play the Saints. (Morgan Hancock/AAP PHOTOS)

Richmond will contemplate giving Dustin Martin longer stints up forward against St Kilda in an attempt to fill the gaping hole in attack left by injuries to Tom Lynch and Noah Balta.

The Tigers' stirring win over Sydney in round three was soured by a hamstring tendon injury to power forward Lynch and a medial collateral ligament sprain for Balta.

Martin will return from a corked calf against the Saints on Sunday and, given the superstar's explosiveness inside 50, coach Adem Yze will be tempted to play the three-time Norm Smith medallist - and potentially Shai Bolton - forward of the ball even more than usual.

"Having Dustin back in the side's a great thing for our group and our team," Yze said on Friday.

Adem Yze
Richmond head coach Adem Yze talks selection issues at Punt Road Oval. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)

"He'll still have a mixture of inside midfield time and forward, Shai's doing the same. 

"We're looking to balance our team later this afternoon, but to have him available's great for our group.

"Two quality forwards, and experienced forwards, going out - his organisation in our front end's going to be really important for us.

"We can't wait to have him back out there."

Yze said Lynch's injury, which will sideline the big man for up to three months after he missed most of last year with a foot injury, had been particularly "gut-wrenching".

With Liam Baker suspended, midfielder Jack Graham is also set to return against St Kilda after missing the early rounds with a quad injury.

Tall forward Jacob Koschitzke has been recalled, while young midfielder Kane McAuliffe will make his AFL debut in his home state of South Australia after "knocking the door down'' for the past couple of weeks in the VFL.

Norwood Oval, the venue for Sunday's clash, has a playing surface close to 30 metres narrower than the MCG, and the Tigers brought in the boundary lines on the wings at Punt Road during Friday's training session in a bid to acclimatise.

The Tigers haven't made any defensive tweaks this week, backing Ben Miller and Tylar Young to handle St Kilda spearhead Max King, who is returning from suspension.

King replaces Marcus Windhager, who copped a one-match ban for rough conduct.

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