Richmond ruckman Troy Simmonds says the Tigers are relishing a rare taste of being in finals contention at the business end of an AFL season.

The club has made just two finals series in the past 26 years, most recently in 2001.

While their chances of breaking that drought this year remain slim, they are in with a shot if they win their final two matches, against Fremantle at the MCG on Saturday, then bottom-placed Melbourne in the last round.

"The mood's been fantastic all year," Simmonds said.

"For the senior guys and the young guys to experience the hype of still being in the hunt at this time of year is fantastic.

"There's a great vibrancy around the club, all we've got to do is win these last two games and hope some results go our way."

Simmonds was confident that with the Tigers' youthful and improving squad, finals would come next year, even if they are unable to sneak in this season.

He said they would not take the 13th-placed Dockers lightly, despite having thrashed the West Australian club by 64 points when they last met at Subiaco in round four.

"We played really well against them early on in the year, but they've improved in terms of contested ball possession and clearance work, which is what we're good at, so that will be a good challenge," he said.

"I still think they're a quality side, I don't think where they are on the ladder is really what they're capable of.

"They've got some good players and I think their second half of the year they've been in games where they've only lost by a couple of kicks, or that sort of thing."

The Richmond big man is also bracing for a tough personal challenge against Dockers giant Aaron Sandilands.

"I love big challenges, we're both two totally different players, he's got the height and I try to use my speed and agility around the ground," he said.

Simmonds, a renowned animal lover, was speaking at Royal Melbourne Zoo as an ambassador for Tiger Taskforce, which aims to increase community awareness of the critical danger tigers face in the wild.

"It's a great cause, because if the tiger becomes extinct then where's the Richmond Football Club's brand?" he said.

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