In-form forward Tom Lynch has hailed Dustin Martin's inspiring return for giving Richmond's AFL season a kick-start.
The Tigers were flailing at 2-4 when Martin returned to training at Punt Rd after taking personal leave following the round-one loss against Carlton.
Richmond have recaptured their best during the past two weeks, smashing hapless West Coast by 109 points in Perth before taking down rivals Collingwood last Saturday in Martin's comeback match.
The three-time Norm Smith medallist was used mostly as a forward against the Magpies, kicking 2.1 and gathering 23 possessions, as he builds up match fitness.
Lynch, who has booted 13 goals in his last two outings to lead the Coleman Medal race, explained Martin's giant influence extends off the ground.
"I thought they were going to blow the roof off when he kicked that goal, it was a great roar," Lynch said of Martin's first goal against the Magpies.
"We're just rapt to see him in, obviously gone through a bit, but it was the best thing for him to have a bit of time away and we've loved having him back.
"He's given us a real pep up in the last week or two.
"Jack (Riewoldt) and I normally get told to get out of the way and let him do his thing (when Martin is in the forward line)
"He'll flick between the forward and mid as he has throughout his career.
"He's a superstar and he's a superstar person in the end, he just brings energy and lifts the whole club."
Richmond finished a round inside the top-eight for the first time this season with reports of the Tigers' demise possibly being exaggerated.
Despite Richmond's list looking different to the one that won premierships in 2017, 2019 and 2020, Lynch knows what the Tigers are capable of.
"We're 4-4 but in those (losses) we felt like we were in every one of them, we just had patches where we didn't capitalise and the opposition did.
'We felt like our form's going OK, but we've still got a fair bit of work to go."
