Their season was looking shaky during the mid-season bye but, after four wins in a row, Richmond have jumped into premiership calculations.

Which makes this Friday night's showdown with Collingwood – a club that has dropped three of its past four matches – such a compelling encounter to start AFL round 19.

Football writer Caroline Wilson offers a word of caution, especially after the Tigers have fallen badly in their past two clashes with last year's grand finalists, including an infamous defeat in the preliminary final.

"Everyone seems to be talking up Richmond at the moment and, this is not a beanie-wearing comment, but it's a cautionary comment: they've not beaten one team in the top four this year," Wilson says.