Richmond will need to put behind them a "blip on the radar" as well as the AFL's latest hoodoo to return to winning form.

Coming off a dismal loss to wooden spoon candidates Port Adelaide a fortnight ago, the Tigers also must attempt to counter the effects of the AFL bye in their clash with Sydney at the SCG on Sunday.

So far this season only two teams have won coming off the bye when playing sides who haven't also had the break.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick says his side have stuck to training normality in a bid to beat the bye - the only exception a couple of days off rather than a match last weekend.

"The recent win-loss records of sides (coming off the bye) hasn't been great, but we came in with a strategy and we've stuck with what we've needed to," Hardwick said.

"We went about our training as normal, had a couple of days off, then came back and reviewed the game and went from there.

"This week we've gone about our training as per normal, so hopefully it reaps dividends on Sunday."

Hardwick, his players and coaching staff have all put aside their embarrassing defeat to Port in Darwin as a temporary lapse which can be addressed.

"In the last six weeks, we're 4-2. So you're going to have a blip on the radar at some stage," Hardwick said.

"We were very disappointed, no doubt about that. The guys and the coaching staff felt we've got to build in a number of areas to get better.

"The one thing about a young footy club is we've got to learn to win on the road.

"That's something we've done okay, but not to a great degree."

A trip to Sydney, followed by another to Brisbane the week after, gives them chances to atone.

While the Tigers are 4-2 from their last six, they have lost two of their past three matches.

They face a Swans side with wins in their past two games, and on the cusp of a top-four spot.

Midfielder Shane Edwards will return for the Tigers after recovering from his broken jaw, while promoted rookie Tom Hislop will come into contention to help combat Sydney's peerless inside game.

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