Prestia set to return for Tigers

Premiership midfielder Dion Prestia looks set to play his first game for the season in Sunday's MCG blockbuster against Hawthorn after recovering from a hamstring injury.

The 25-year-old had a solid hit-out for Richmond's VFL team on Good Friday against the Box Hill Hawks in a practice match, playing about 75 per cent of the game in his first match back since he was injured at training in early February.

Dion Prestia during last year's finals.
Photo: AAP

Prestia was rested in the final quarter on Friday but still finished with 19 disposals and eight tackles and looks a logical replacement for suspended midfielder Josh Caddy.

The Tigers remain uncertain whether Nick Vlastuin will return after he missed the clash against Adelaide last Thursday night due to concussion.

Vlastuin will need to undergo the mandatory concussion tests before being made available for selection.

The Tigers missed the 23-year-old defender against the Crows after he was found to have suffered delayed concussion in the season opener against Carlton.

Last Thursday night was the first time a team had scored more than 100 points against Richmond since St Kilda dismantled the Tigers in round 16 last season.

Meanwhile Hawthorn will be hoping James Frawley can make a swift recovery from a mid-foot sprain after James Sicily was suspended for kneeing Geelong skipper Joel Selwood on Easter Monday.

The Hawks could appeal the decision but if he doesn't play Frawley could come into calculations, with football manager Graham Wright saying on Monday that the 29-year-old's availability for round three would be assessed this week.

Veteran Shaun Burgoyne is also an unlikely starter after a minor hamstring strain during the win over Geelong.

If the 35-year-old does not play against the Tigers, it will be the first game he has missed since round 18, 2013 having played in three premierships during his streak of 107 consecutive games.

Hawthorn's win over Geelong on Monday put them in fourth spot on the ladder, after being out of the eight all last season while Richmond's loss push the Tigers to 12th, the first time they have been out of the eight since the end of 2016.

Hawthorn are the only team to have sat outside the eight at any time during the home-and-away season before going on and winning the flag since Geelong in 2007.

The Hawks spent the first two weeks of 2013 outside the eight before cementing their spot and going on to win the flag but every other premiership team since 2007 has spent all season inside the eight.