While declining to nominate Kayne Pettifer as a required player, Richmond coach Terry Wallace believes an arrangement can be made with the out-of-contract forward who will be sidelined until early next year because of a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

The 26-year-old, who has played 109 games for Richmond since being selected with pick No.9 at the 2000 National Draft, will undergo a knee reconstruction later this week after being injured playing for the Tigers' VFL affiliate Coburg at the weekend.

Asked at his regular Tuesday media conference if the club was prepared to stand by Pettifer, Wallace said: "We’ve said to Kayne we'll let him know where he stands sooner rather than later and we think that's the only fair thing, but I'm confident we’ll be able to work out something with him."

Pettifer has made just six appearances for the Tigers this season after not having missed a match for the previous three seasons.

Despite the popular view that he was dropped because of his lack of accountability, Wallace said fitness issues had been at the heart of Pettifer's 'frustrating' season.

"He basically hasn’t had his body right since day one, and sometimes you just go through those sorts of years," Wallace said.

"He's had back-related hamstrings … and you start not getting on the track on a regular basis and that starts impacting on how you play your footy."

"It all mounts up when you're not getting continuity and that's been his lot this year."

Wallace said that because scans determined that only the ACL was affected and that there was no residual damage to Pettifer's knee, there was a strong chance he could be ready to play by Round 1 next year.

He said the club's focus on Graham Polak's future had made a careful consideration of Pettifer's situation difficult.

Polak was discharged from hospital and returned home at the weekend for the first time since sustaining serious head injuries after being struck by a tram on the 29th of June.

Wallace refuted media reports that the 24-year-old had been spied running around and kicking a football, but said he was 'growing and developing'.

"He's able to now do some mechanical exercises and keep himself a little bit fit just from a well-being point of view, but that's about where it stands," Wallace said.