As a former Richmond skipper who spent a decade playing alongside Matthew Richardson, Essendon coach Matthew Knights knows the Tiger veteran better than most.

Even so, Knights, who admits coaching against the Tigers for the first time in Saturday night's Dreamtime at the G game will stir his emotions, says it will not make it any easier to combat the Richmond star.

Knights said 33-year-old Richardson had added something extra to his game with his free-wheeling role this season.

"The (round seven) St Kilda game I thought was probably the best game I've seen him play, a couple of weeks ago," Knights said.

"Playing wing and forward he was moving around beautifully and that's a credit to him, being a veteran in this league.

"He's a superfit athlete, he's got a lot of pride in his own performance and he's playing as good footy now as he was when he was 25, so he's a very much respected player."

During his playing days, Knights said he was regularly amazed by the big forward's ability to compete with midfielders such as himself for endurance.

"He's a pretty decent athlete, so we're going to have to have a player who, one, can go with him on the run and, two, is capable in the air," Knights said.

The coach suggested Nathan Lovett-Murray as one option, although Lovett-Murray, sitting next to Knights at a press conference on Wednesday to promote the indigenous-themed game, sounded less than convinced, suggesting Paddy Ryder should be given the job.

Knights said there was "no doubt" there would be some extra feeling in Saturday night's game for him personally.

"I've always been proud to be a Richmond player and Richmond captain," he said.

"When I first arrived at the club the great Kevin Bartlett and Neville Crowe were standing out on Punt Rd shaking tins trying to keep the club alive.

"Going through that period, coming out the other side and the club is still alive today, so I'm proud but knowing this week it's game on and I'd love a win as much as anyone."

Knights admitted the Bombers' form paled compared to the Tigers, with three losses of more than 10 goals in the past three rounds.

He said his inexperienced side was finding it tough to compete physically with older opponents and fading late in matches.

"At times our young bodies struggle around the stoppages and with the tackling and intensity," he said.

"When teams start to get a sniff of that they do then lift themselves and start to take the game on a bit more."

But he said he would not be swayed from a focus on youth at selection, even if it meant short-term pain.

Meanwhile, Essendon have turned to Cathy Freeman for inspiration.

Freeman on Tuesday recounted her experiences in winning gold as the major Australian drawcard at the Sydney Olympics to the Bombers as they prepared for Saturday night's Dreamtime at the G clash with Richmond, the centrepiece of the AFL's indigenous round.

Bombers coach Matthew Knights said Freeman's insights on staying focussed under pressure were of enormous benefit to his young squad.

"It wasn't just related to the indigenous players we had in the room, it was related to all players in the room, because she spoke of goal-setting, remaining focussed, not concerning herself about distractions when she had the torch and played a big role in the build-up," Knights said.

Indigenous Essendon defender Nathan Lovett-Murray said he ranked the annual Dreamtime clash, now in its fourth season, alongside the club's traditional Anzac Day meetings with Collingwood.

"I played in my first Dreamtime at the G two years ago and the pride that I get from playing in that game and representing all indigenous people around Australia, it's one of my highlights of my football career," he said.

Richmond coach Terry Wallace said the thrilling nature of the contests over the past two seasons in particular had helped stamp the fixture on the AFL calendar.

"(It's) very, very similar to Anzac Day, it doesn't matter where the two sides are on the ladder," Wallace said.

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