Richmond coach Terry Wallace believes the club's lop-sided draw in 2008 is the main reason why the Tigers' improvement this season has not translated into more wins.

As the pressure yet again begins to mount at Punt Road - following the hiding in Sydney and the second half capitulation against Adelaide in the past fortnight - Wallace says his team's improvement should be judged at the end of the season and not halfway through.

Wallace, who is in his fourth year as coach, has now won just six of his past 34 games in charge and with just one win in their past seven matches, the Tigers are back in 12th place with just three wins and a draw from the first half of the season.

This drop-off, after a promising start to the season following last year's wooden spoon finish, has again cast doubt over whether Wallace will see out the fifth and final year of his contract next season.

But Wallace was unfazed on Tuesday, saying his team had been the victim of a tough draw this season.

"We are halfway through the season and out of our 11 games, we have played seven of those games against top eight sides and I don't think many people expected us to be beating those type of sides."

"We certainly think we have accounted ourselves well against quite a few of them but we have won just two points against those top eight teams and that was the draw against the Bulldogs."

"But when we have played against sides out of the eight, we have beaten three of them and had a kick after the siren to beat the fourth (St Kilda)."

"So we have been able to handle that level but we haven't been able to step up to the next level."

But Wallace knows the Tigers will have to start winning soon - particularly with their next five games all coming against fellow bottom eight sides in Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Carlton, West Coast and Essendon.

"You are always under pressure in this game when you are not winning - that is the nature of the business," he said.

"But we have got a full half of the season left and that (the team's tough draw) flips around in the second half of the season when we play more sides out of the eight than inside so there is still opportunities there."

However Wallace would not say how many wins he believes the Tigers need to register over the second half of the season to ensure he sees out his contract next year.

"I am not into speculating or crystal balling because who knows what happens with players and how you sit with injuries because there are so many things that impact it (wins and losses)."

But Wallace said the 'dynamic' of his team would have to change after the last fortnight of poor performances as pressure continues to mount on veterans Greg Tivendale, Kayne Pettifer and Joel Bowden.

Wallace admitted on Tuesday the team's deterioration in recent weeks had coincided with that trio's return to the side at the expense of younger players

"But what that means to those players (in terms of staying in the side) well we will have a look at that and review it."

Amongst the younger players pressing for a senior return are forwards Jack Riewoldt and Cleve Hughes and forgotten midfielder Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls while the Tigers will also have to replace injured full-back Will Thursfield, who is out with a hamstring injury.