BRETT Deledio says he’s unlikely to play a full game if he returns from a calf injury this week against North Melbourne in Hobart.

The Richmond vice-captain hasn't played since the Tigers' round one win over Carlton and is desperate to face the Kangaroos on Saturday.

However Deledio admitted he would have to "wait and see" how he pulled up from Tuesday's training session before declaring his availability, and said there was a chance he could either start or end the game as a substitute if he played. 

Read all the latest injury updates here

"If I pull up really well, then I'll 100 per cent put my hand up," Deledio told the club's website.

"I probably wouldn't play a full game but whether that means I'm vested one way or the other.

"But if that's the way it is, then I'll play my part and I'm happy with that.

"I've got to see how I'll pull up first. Fingers crossed - I'm doing everything right so far." 

The 215-game veteran said he would be happy to play for Richmond's VFL side on Saturday at Punt Road against North Ballarat if directed to.

"I'm not above that at all. If I'm required to play there, then I will," he said.

Deledio said he had found it tough being sidelined with the Tigers losing three of their last four games. 

He said he expected the team to revert to its pre-season expectation of setting "a high standard" after some costly mistakes in the past month. 

"I understand that it is a lot easier (watching) from the stands, but I get very frustrated, more so just with really silly skill errors and things we can control," he said. 

"We work so hard to get the ball out of congestion into someone's hands and then they'll drop it or we'll handball to their feet.

"That stuff I can't really accept or cop - not that me coming back is going to change that because you can't control it.

"But I certainly will be expecting a high standard and we've been driving that ourselves as a group the last couple of weeks."