Richmond have received better-than-expected news on midfielder Daniel Jackson, but skipper Chris Newman's AFL season is moving closer to closure.

Jackson has been named in the Tigers' side to play Sydney at the MCG on Sunday - just a week after limping off with a knee injury after a heavy clash with West Coast's Matt Rosa.

But Newman, who injured a knee three weeks ago, appears no closer to a return and his season looks all but over with three meaningless matches awaiting a Tigers side out of finals contention.

As coach Damien Hardwick continues turning over his playing list, he admitted his skipper's season could be shelved as Newman struggles to recover from his posterior cruciate ligament injury.

"Chris is still touch and go to see whether he can make it back for the remainder of the year," Hardwick said on Thursday.

"Jackson's a chance to play which is a great result.

"The scan's come back all clear. We obviously thought he was out for the year when he went down."

It also helps ease a Tigers availability crisis.

Hardwick says he only has 26 fit players to choose from, and is attempting to balance blooding youth and giving his chance every opportunity to be competitive.

"Everything we do is done with the ultimate goal in mind. You pick a side to win now, and also a side we think is going to take us forward," Hardwick said.

"We've definitely got players we'd love to get games into, but we've also got to realise that we want to win every game we can.

"The majority of our players are playing ... and we've probably only got about three or four players in reserves to pick from."

Matt White, Jayden Post, Jake Batchelor and Jeromey Webberley have been added to the extended 25-man squad for Sunday's clash.

First-year player Reece Conca is out of the side with a leg injury.

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