RICHMOND could welcome back three premiership stars for its intriguing clash with Port Adelaide at the MCG.

Versatile tall Noah Balta (hamstring), dynamic forward Kane Lambert (hip) and Marlion Pickett (illness) are potential inclusions to take on the Power on Thursday night, but leading goalkicker Tom Lynch (hamstring) will miss another week.

Richmond (6-5) had the bye last weekend after its nail-biting and drama-filled defeat to Sydney in Round 11.

Balta and Lambert are near-certainties to return but Tigers coach Damien Hardwick has doubts on Pickett's fitness after an interrupted past month.

Lambert has been managing a chronic hip issue which has threatened to cut short his career.

"What he goes through every week to play is incredible, no one does it better than Kane to get himself ready to play," Hardwick said.

"We just want to make sure when he comes back in he's close to 100 per cent as he's going to be."