Richmond's caretaker coach Jade Rawlings senses big improvement among the Tigers and is prepared to give his younger players time to settle in the AFL side.

Rawlings said his debut in the hot seat left his head spinning, and after the Tigers beat West Coast 13.14 (92) to 11.11 (77) at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night, he admitted it would be hard to measure how much he could stamp his influence on the side.

But in an indication that the Tigers will be youth-focused for the remainder of 2009, Rawlings said the five young players he promoted last week - Shane Edwards, Tom Hislop, Angus Graham, Robin Nahas and debutant Tyrone Vickey - all deserved to keep their places.

"I'd like to think we can settle them," Rawlings said.

"I think it would be a bit unfair if I brought them in and then felt there was someone better-positioned after one week.

"It's a tough one. Do you go and say you've got three games guaranteed and do you set a rod for your back? "They're things I've got to learn about how much you can give a player, but I thought the guys we brought in ... their performances probably vindicate the faith and a longer tenure in the side." Rawlings was unsure whether he could cement a full-time coaching position either at Richmond or another club in 2010 - "I'll let that path take its own course - but felt the onus was on the players for the Tigers' improvement.

"As I said to the players last week 'It's about the footy club, it's not about me'," he said.

"I come in and I'm lucky enough to do this role.

"If they can keep focusing on what they can do for the team, this footy club will move forward at a rate of knots." Rawlings said despite Richmond's awful start to the season, there had been little need for him to implement major changes around the club or to the way the Tigers played.

"But at two (wins) and nine (losses), we unfortunately had to be seen to be doing something slightly different," he said.

"It's only subtle things we've changed ... it doesn't need a massive overhaul.

"Just a couple of little things were changed and hopefully we can have a positive influence on the group as we keep moving forward." Richmond's next assignment is against unbeaten St Kilda on June 28.

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