THERE were no premiership points up for grabs, but Ben Cousins' return to Subiaco Oval certainly drew a crowd.

Richmond's WA membership has jumped from 400 to 1000 since the Brownlow medallist headed to Punt Road, and it was a mix of the recently converted and die-hard fans that fronted up to Saturday's training run.

Coach Terry Wallace hasn't selected Cousins to play, but the idea of the former Eagle returning to football in WA is not something he actively avoided.

"[It had] nothing to do with WA. I think it would have been a great thing with so much fantastic support from WA people," Wallace said after training on Saturday. 

"The number one thing had to be him and getting him right for the season proper. He didn't do any of the pre-Christmas program, and we haven't got any players that didn't do the pre-Christmas program that are playing.

"It may have only been a fortnight too early. It's unfortunate, but the player has to come first."

Cousins joined his teammates for a light session on Subiaco Oval and made his way around the boundary signing autographs afterwards.

Wallace said his star recruit had done everything required to have a successful season in 2009, but the side would not be relying solely on him to make the jump from ninth into the top eight.

"With everything he's shown so far, he's on track to have a successful season," Wallace said.

"(But) we won't just be relying on him. We're an improving side on the way up and if we can get a player to add to it that's a great thing.

"Our playing group is very, very keen to have him on board, as I was."

With Cousins, Kane Johnson, Jordan McMahon, Mark Coughlan and Trent Cotchin all absent from the Tigers' squad of 29, Wallace argued his side was evenly matched with the young Fremantle outfit.

Key forwards Mathew Pavlich and Chris Tarrant will be missing for Freo, while Wallace said he would play star Tiger Matthew Richardson.

It was round four last season, against Fremantle at Subiaco Oval, when Richardson was first shifted to the wing by Wallace – a move that almost netted the popular Tiger a Brownlow medal.

The coach said he would use Richardson both on the wing and up forward on Sunday, and looked forward to seeing the rest of his side on the bigger WA ground.

"I think the bigger grounds suit our style of play," Wallace said. "Even though we were a strong contested footy side last year, [we have] the ability to run the lines, we're quick and we like to carry the football.

"Obviously this is a very big ground, which gives you the ability to do that."