STAR recruit Tom Lynch will be "around about the mark" to debut for Richmond in round one, but the Tigers are still trying to identify their ideal ruck and forward structures, assistant coach Justin Leppitsch says.

Lynch is returning from a PCL injury that limited him to 10 games in his final season with Gold Coast last year and subsequently required an operation in November to remove scar tissue.

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The 2016 All Australian forward did not play in the Tigers' intraclub game at Punt Rd on Saturday morning, but completed a lengthy running session beforehand, in which he appeared to be moving well.

Leppitsch said Lynch would not play in either of Richmond's JLT Community Series games, but had taken significant strides in his rehabilitation ahead of the season opener against Carlton on March 21.

"He's going really well, his agility has improved out of sight and his running is terrific," Leppitsch said.

"He's doing contested work now, so we feel he's going to be around about the round-one mark.

"I know we all talk about that like if you don't play round one you're never going to play again, but if it's not round one it will be round two, I'm sure."

Richmond trialed ruckmen Toby Nankervis and Ivan Soldo on the same 'yellow' team on Saturday, alternating them between the centre square and forward 50m arc.

Both big men showed promise in attack, taking several strong marks between them, while Leppitsch was also buoyed by the performance of 20-year-old Callum Coleman-Jones in the ruck for the 'black' team.

Leppitsch conceded the new rule requiring teams to start six players in each of the 50m arcs and the midfield at centre bounces would make it difficult for Richmond to continue using Shaun Grigg, 190cm, as its support ruckman.

"If the ball is going to come out the front (of the centre square) it's not going to help if you've got a shorter ruckman," he said.

Grigg was among a group of Tigers who missed Saturday's practice match. Leppitsch said the 30-year-old remained on "lighter duties" due to a few niggles and was "touch and go" for round one.

Jason Castagna, Jacob Townsend and Ryan Garthwaite were restricted to running drills before the match, while Alex Rance and Jack Riewoldt did not play on Saturday after appearing in the AFLX tournament the night before.

Midfield stars Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin both looked sharp as they led the 'yellow' team to a comfortable victory, while Daniel Rioli and Brandon Ellis were prominent in expanded midfield roles.

Bachar Houli was outstanding in defence for the 'black' team, along with David Astbury, while Jack Graham won plenty of the ball through the midfield.

Richmond's first two selections in last year's NAB AFL Draft, Riley Collier-Dawkins, No.20 overall, and Jack Ross, No.43, also played on Saturday.

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Leppitsch praised both for their work around the contest, but said they still had to adapt to the speed of the game and AFL systems.