SOMETHNG Richmond fans have been craving for weeks is not too far off – Will Thursfield is on the way back.

The Tigers full-back last played in round 11 against Adelaide when he did a hamstring, and has this week been named as an emergency for the vital clash with Essendon.

Assistant coach Brian Royal left the door ajar for Thursfield to play against a Bombers outfit that boasts forwards of the calibre of Matthew Lloyd and Scott Lucas.

"Will's missed the last five games, so I guess that's had some effect on us playing him in the side," he said on Friday morning.

"If anything happens overnight, Will's there as an opportunity to play.

"Obviously the weather conditions are going to account for something as well, so we'll have to take that into consideration tomorrow."

However, star Matthew Richardson is sure to miss another match.

"Matty was pretty close this weekend, but we thought we'd just give him another week to prepare," Royal said.

"He's got an ageing body, he's got a couple of ailments with his knee and his hamstring, and I guess it's just important that we don't rush him back and the injury becomes a reoccurrence."

And there's more good news on the Graham Polak front, with the wounded Tiger up and about, talking to family and teammates.

"It sends so many smiles on faces around the football club to see that in Graham, and I know a number of players are continually visiting him," Royal said.

"The improvement is – I wouldn't say rapid, but he's continuing to show improvement, and it's fantastic.

"The emotions of all that in the last two or three weeks has been a strange one for the boys, but all we can do is go out and play the game, and if we can win, I'm sure that'll put a smile on Graham's face."