Missing the "spark and spunk" of Alex Rance and Jack Riewoldt, Richmond need to collectively step up to replace the injured AFL duo when the Tigers take on GWS in Sydney, assistant coach Justin Leppitsch says.
Key forward Riewoldt is out for a month with a wrist issue while defender Rance's season ended in the opening round with a serious knee injury.
The loss of the All-Australian bookends puts the Tigers in an unfamiliar position, with at least one being named in every line-up since round nine of 2009.
Three-time premiership player Leppitsch said team meetings had been quieter without the veteran pair, compounded by this week's temporary loss of head coach Damien Hardwick following dental surgery.
Coming off a 44-point loss to Collingwood, Leppitsch said the whole team needed to lift on Saturday against the Giants.
"They (Rance and Riewoldt) bring the spunk and spark to our team, they bring the voice and direction and others have to stand up in their place," he said.
"You can't take away All Australians and replace them. It just means we all have to lift the load a bit."
Youngsters Ryan Garthwaite and Noah Balta will seek to stiffen an undermanned defence also missing the suspended Dylan Grimes, while the Tigers have handed an AFL debut to exciting forward Sydney Stack.
Richmond were bitterly disappointed with their defensive effort against the Magpies and have made it a focus for this week at Giants Stadium.
The Tigers gave up 158 uncontested marks and were also beaten in the clearances and tackle count.
But Leppitsch defended gun midfielder Dustin Martin, who is yet to lay a tackle in two games.
"His ball-winning ability and what he does around the contest can't be underestimated - it's such a big thing for us," Leppitsch said.
"There's other guys in our team who are there to tackle that haven't been doing it, so collectively as a group we need to lift, it's not just one person."
Leppitsch said the injury crisis, as well as Grimes' suspension, was the biggest challenge he'd faced since returning to Richmond as assistant coach in 2017.
"We haven't had an injury for two years so this is what challenges coaches and our imagination and and tactical brains to put something together," he said.
"But if we still come out and play to our strengths - our defensive part of our game - we will be okay."
