Luckless Chris Knights faces another three months on the sidelines, with Richmond teammate Anthony Miles saying his hamstring injury has hit the AFL side hard.

Knights returned against Brisbane last Saturday night, playing his first AFL game since round seven of 2013.

The ex-Adelaide utility tweaked his hamstring in that match and requires surgery, continuing a terrible run with injuries.

“For him to go down, I think it’s hit the playing group really hard. Our thoughts are with with Chris,” Miles said.

“He was pretty flat after the game.”

Meanwhile, vice-captain Brett Deledio is no certainty to return from his calf issue.

“It’s touch and go at this stage … we’ve just got to manage him a little bit more carefully,” Tigers coach Damien Hardwick told 7mate’s Talking Footy.

“He is a bit of a Mercedes-Benz. When he’s in the side we’re a lot better.”