MATTHEW Nicks is doing his best to be optimistic about his side's round nine match against Richmond.

The slow-starting Crows were down by 10-points at half-time before they turned it around to walk away 37-point winners.

TIGERS v CROWS Full match coverage and stats

Nicks said he was pleased with his players' ability to recognise the problem and address it at half-time.

"Yeah, probably disappointing to be in that position (behind at half-time)," Nicks said in his post-match press conference.

"From what we'd worked on during the week, probably what we knew we were coming into. But at the same time, what do we take away from this game? We're able to turn it.

"The players were driving that at half-time. We walked in as a coaching group and it was already being done, already being said."

Nicks highlighted the Crows' poor contest work as well as their defensive efforts as the main reason for the poor start.

"Contest. We were folding back. We had a few pieces of vision that we could look at as a group just to back up and reinforce what it was they were talking about," Nicks said.

"So that's a bonus. To have a time-out like that. Get clarity around why. Find the solution. That was really pleasing."

One of the main changes to take place after the break was the move of Crows captain Jordan Dawson into the midfield where he was able to have an immediate impact.

"We talk about where our group’s getting to and the maturity of our leadership. 'Dawes' has been a big part of that turnaround," Nicks said.

"His ability to chat at half-time, talk through with the group about what he's seeing, what he's feeling, then to actually go out and impact the game. 

"Now I don't think it was the one move that changed the game (putting Dawson in the midfield). I think our group were able to be clear on what it was we had to change. When we did that, 18 players on the field were able to change it instantly. 

"All of a sudden our pressure number goes through the roof. The ball spends more time in our forward half. We hadn't scored from a front and centre turnover in the first half and then we kick four goals one in the third quarter or the second half. 

"So just small things like that. It's player driven, which is the most pleasing part."

For the Tigers the injury toll continues to grow, with defender Tom Brown suspected to have broken his arm in a marking contest in the first-quarter of Sunday afternoon's game.

Brown joins the long injury list at Punt Road that includes the likes of former No.1 Draft Pick Sam Lalor, key forward Harry Armstrong and captain Toby Nankervis.

"The 'Doc' said at half-time that he thinks it's a clean break and he'll go in for an operation straight away and put a plate and all those sorts of things, so I'm not sure how long that will take. Hopefully it's on the shorter end," Adem Yze said post-match.

The Richmond coach conceded that the club's in a challenging position given the health of its list and that it's frustrating for himself, the players and the fans.

"We're winning all the metrics that you want to be winning, so part of when you talk about the frustration is we need our players getting better on the AFL field so we need them available," Yze said.

"So Sammy Lalor can't get better sitting here watching. We've got too many players on our injury list right now, so the frustration around that is because they can't get a volume of games together, not only individually but together. 

"The positive on that front is that post-bye we'll get a few of them back and then they get a chance to go and gel together out on the field, and Harry Armstrong gets to play beside Jonty Faull and Taj Hotton will do what he does and we can't wait to get him back out there."

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