Richmond forwards Jack Riewoldt and Tom Lynch to combine for just the fourth time this season

Damien Hardwick says he hopes Tigers’ twin towers Jack Riewoldt and Tom Lynch can gel as soon as possible. But the coach has added a warning ahead of Sunday’s clash with GWS.

Tom Lynch will get another chance to play with Jack Riewoldt this week. Picture: Michael Klein

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick says he hopes Tigers’ twin towers Jack Riewoldt and Tom Lynch can “click as soon as possible” but has warned it could be a “slow burn” for Riewoldt, who is set to play just his first game since Round 6 on Saturday.

Riewoldt had been “very close” to a recall from a knee injury last week but was held back to gain some more fitness ahead of a return against Greater Western Sydney at the MCG.

The 2018 Coleman Medal winner has played just three games this year for a return of three goals after contributing 70 majors from 24 games for the Tigers last year.

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“We always thought that the extra week would do him good, not so much from the recovery from injury but more to get some run into his legs,” Hardwick said.

“He’s so important to the way we play. He’s one of our best post-clearance contested ball players. So it’s nice to have that sort of calibre of player come back into the side.

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“We think it’s going to be a little bit of a slow burn with the footy he’s missed but we think it’s going to be a pretty good period for us going forward.”

Riewoldt and Lynch have played just three games together this season since Lynch joined the Tigers from the Gold Coast Suns at the end of last year.

The pair combined for four goals in Round 1, before kicking three majors between them in rounds 2 and 6.

Richmond forward Jack Riewoldt will play his first game since Round 6 on Sunday. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty Images

“We’ve just got to hope they can click as soon as possible,” Hardwick said.

“They’re both very smart players so we think it (the chemistry) will be quicker than what it would be with an inexperienced player.

“I think we’ll start to see with Jack coming into his own it will actually make Tom a better player as well because he doesn’t have to play on two or three defenders.”

The Tigers suffered a 49-point loss to GWS in Sydney in Round 3, Jeremy Cameron kicking 7.5 on that occasion.

However, key defender Dylan Grimes missed that match and Hardwick said he would have some fresh plans to curb the Coleman Medal leader’s influence this time around.

“I think we had a relatively inexperienced back six back at that stage so I think it will be a little bit harder for Jeremy this time and we’ve certainly tweaked a couple of things,” Hardwick said.

“But we also realise Jeremy at his best is a very good and damaging player.”