Richmond coach Terry Wallace is relishing Saturday's AFL match against top side Adelaide, despite what looms as another Telstra Dome Tiger hunt.

Richmond is coming off a 118-point belting from Sydney at the same ground and will again field an inexperienced side, with four key players another week from returning.

The Tigers have never beaten Adelaide at Telstra Dome in four attempts and their last two losing margins to the Crows indoors have been 75 and 70.

But Wallace would rather this scenario than a match against a team down the other end of the ladder.

"I reckon it's a fantastic challenge - I would rather that challenge this week after a poor game, to be able to actually front up against another really good side ... than going to play against one of the lower sides in the competition," he said.

"If you're in a learning-exposed area, (where) we had difficulty last week, well, you're going to learn more out of going in against a similar sort of opposition.

"(You see) whether you've achieved anything over a seven-day period to be able to turn things around."

Wallace revealed captain Kane Johnson and vice-captain Darren Gaspar, who have hamstring injuries, would most likely sit out another week.

Calf muscle problems will also sideline Ray Hall and Andrew Kellaway after they were late withdrawals from the Sydney game.

Wallace nominated ruckman Trent Knobel as one possible return.

"We look very, very unlikely to get anybody back into our lineup from last week," he said.

"The realities are that we'll be going out there with a similar-type side, but hopefully a different-type attitude."

Wallace added forward Nathan Brown was probably "two to three" weeks from resuming.

Brown has not played since round three as he continues to recover from last year's broken leg.

Despite Richmond's problems, Wallace urged Tiger fans to go to Telstra Dome.

He went to Sunday's Kangaroos-Adelaide match at the Dome to watch the Crows and a paltry Mother's Day crowd of 16,064 meant there was little atmosphere for the home team.

"It was really disappointing, just the fact that there were not that many more of the home-based supporters than what there were of the away team," he said.

"I know our supporter-base loves the MCG, I'm just hoping like anything that they get along to the game.

"From the feel of a home-based game, you just want your supporters along there."

Meanwhile, Melbourne coach Neale Daniher has echoed club chairman Paul Gardner's thoughts about Brisbane midfielder Jason Akermanis.

As speculation simmers about whether the disgruntled Lion might be up for trade at the end of the season, Gardner told The Australian that the Demons would be interested if Akermanis went onto the market.

While not referring to Akermanis specifically, Daniher said the club was ready for big trades.

Former Port Adelaide premiership player Byron Pickett has so far rejuvenated his career this season with the Demons.

"It's no secret that we went after Lance (Carlton key forward Whitnall), we're very happy with Byron," Daniher said.

"We're starting to get some financial muscle.

"I don't want to necessarily talk about Jason but the point we're making is that we're in among the big boys."

Wallace said Akermanis would help any club.

"The one thing you know about him is that he talks the talk, but he walks the walk," Wallace said.

"This (would) give him even more sting in his tail, so I think whoever gets him might get a pretty valuable player."

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