Richmond has ruled Marlion Pickett out of selection for their clash with St Kilda after the dual Tigers premiership player faced court in Perth on Monday. 

Chief executive officer Brendon Gale said Pickett wanted to play against the Saints at the MCG on Saturday night but the club decided to rule him out.

However, Pickett is expected to travel to Queensland to face the Brisbane Lions in the Round 16 match after Richmond's bye.

"Marlion won't be available to play this week. It's a decision we made in his best interests, in his welfare and also the club," Gale said on Tuesday.

"We think it's important for Marlion to be with his family. Having said that, he'll prepare with the team, he'll train and he'll be turning up and engaging, and turning up to work. We think that's really important for him to do it at this stage and his family. We fully expect for him to play against Brisbane in two weeks' time.

"He wanted to play (this weekend), naturally. You wouldn't expect anything else; he's a competitor, and any player in that situation would. But we thought the right decision was made in his best interest. He needs to be with his family, we're very mindful of his welfare and his family right now."

Gale said the club was made aware late last week that Pickett was going to meet with Perth detectives after the Tigers' game against Fremantle on Saturday night, and cautioned that the complete court proceedings could take "years" to play out.

"Marlion willingly cooperated, he presented himself to be interviewed and that was done post-game on Sunday morning, and the rest has been well documented," Gale said.

"He absolutely (should have played against Fremantle). It's been a big shock, but he's okay. It's been pretty big, but importantly he's got some wonderful people around him.

"At the end of the day, these are allegations, and we are going to operate on the presumption that he is innocent. Justice will run its course, or proceedings will run their course, but the best thing for him (is) to be back here, to be engaged at this club, working hard and continuing to be a really positive role model."

Pickett, a father of four with partner Jess Nannup, is one of modern football's great redemption stories. Having spent two-and-a-half years in jail for burglary offences in his younger days, Pickett was signed by the Tigers in mid-2019 as a 27-year-old before he sensationally made his AFL debut in the Grand Final of that year and even recorded Norm Smith Medal votes in the game.

He has played a further 69 games for the club since.

"Nothing's come easy for Marlion. He's had to deal with his challenges, and we drafted Marlion with eyes wide open, acknowledging the incredible work he'd done to turn his life around, his family support and the support of South Fremantle, and we'll continue to support him," Gale said.

"I've known Marlion since 2019, and he's been outstanding. His honesty and work rate and care, on face value, I'm very surprised, given the extent he's gone to to turn his life around. As I said, he's had a lot of challenges, he hasn't had life handed to him on a plate."

Gale also provided an update on retired three-time premiership hero Bachar Houli, who was involved in a serious car accident on Sunday, which resulted in a broken pelvis, shoulder and punctured lung. Senior leader Trent Cotchin has visited his former teammate in hospital.

"He's in a pretty bad way, Bachar. He got banged up and sustained some serious injuries. He's being operated on as we speak, but thankfully, he's going to make a good recovery. It's going to be a long one, there's a long road ahead, but that's positive news," Gale said.
 
"The member of his extended family, Khaled, we're also very mindful of at the moment, he's in intensive care, but he's making good progress and thankfully we expect him to recover as well.
 
"[Houli] is obviously very dear to our hearts at this club and to football in general."