Tigers expect Martin to face Crows in AFL

Coach Damien Hardwick is confident the Tigers will fix their problems, especially around contested ball, but said it will take time.

Richmond could also regain Nick Vlastuin and Brandon Ellis from injury for the Thursday night match at Adelaide Oval, but David Astbury will miss another week.

Martin suffered a knock in Friday night's 67-point loss to Geelong.

"Our indictations are that he will play, no problems," Hardwick said.

Top side Geelong took Richmond apart, a week after North Melbourne upset the Tigers.

Halfway through the season Richmond have the look of a side that will make the finals, but not much more.

"We have a style ... that we want to play," Hardwick said.

"To be beaten in contested (ball) again was disappointing.

"We are working on some things, we understand what the problem is, we just have to continue work through that part of our game.

"It does take a little bit of lag to catch up."

Only five Richmond players are yet to miss a game this season and Hardwick said continuity was another problem.

"We're confident our players and our system will stand up," Hardwick said.

"We'll continue to improve, we'll continue to train it and it's great test this week ... v Adelaide.

"It's a really good opportunity to stand up and show what makes us, us."

Hardwick added that contested ball is critical in the Adelaide Oval cauldron.

"Once again, it's all about execution ... the game's going to be one in the contest, especially at Adelaide Oval, (and) we have to make sure we get that part of our game right," he said.

"It hasn't been to the level we'd like the last two weeks; we have some work to do."

Richmond will persist with young key defender Ryan Garthwaite, despite his struggles at times against Cats star Tom Hawkins.

"We look at it now in isolation, we sit there and go, 'he's probably getting beaten at stages,'," Hardwick said.

"But the reality is, it's only going to help in the long term."

Australian Associated Press