RICHMOND is "incredibly confident" Jack Riewoldt will get the final tick-off on Thursday to face Geelong, with coach Damien Hardwick hinting he could even trial his star forward in new roles.  

Riewoldt has missed wins against Gold Coast and Hawthorn after he was accidently poked in the eye in a training incident two weeks ago, requiring surgery and several stitches.  

Hardwick said the Tigers' ability to maintain their scoring power without the two-time Coleman medallist gave them the option to look at a role up the ground for Riewoldt.    

"It was good to see other players step up in his absence and they certainly had to with our best goalkicker and score-assist player out of the forward 50," Hardwick said on Thursday.    

"We were really pleased with what the guys were able to produce and I think Jack was incredibly pleased with the group.  

"It gives us some things to think about and where we're able to utilise him as well.  

"You've only got to look at (Hawthorn captain) Jarryd Roughead on the weekend playing a little bit onball. Do we explore that and change up our forward line as well? It's exciting for us."  

Hardwick said Richmond's doctors were "incredibly confident" Riewoldt would be given the green light to return when he revisits his specialist on Thursday.    

The star forward trained with Richmond's development squad on Tuesday and re-joined the main group on Thursday to complete a full session.  

"Our doctor is very confident, touch wood, that he'll get the tick-off from the specialist today and then he should be available to play. We're very confident," Hardwick said on Thursday.    

"He's had full vision for seven or eight days now."