Richmond coach Adem Yze says he "can understand" Marlion Pickett's frustrations getting the better of him on Saturday night, revealing the 32-year-old has copped "abuse" from the crowds over consecutive weeks in reference to off-field matters hanging over the player.

According to reports, Pickett was expected to receive a please explain by the AFL after being caught making an 'obscene gesture' - raising his finger, towards the GMHBA Stadium crowd while hobbling off the ground after injuring his calf during the Tigers fall-away loss to the Cats on Saturday.

Pickett told Nine News "every week there's disrespectful (stuff)" the following day.

"As players we cop a lot of stuff from the fence line and it's just emotions at the end of the day. If we can't show emotions, then we're just going to cop whatever the crowd says," the premiership Tiger said.

Speaking to media on Tuesday, Yze said the club had discussed the incident with Pickett, who understands his actions were "not the right thing to do", while giving some background to the emotions shown.

"To be fair..it's a tougher situation. He's hurt himself. He's copping abuse from the crowd. And he has copped a little bit the last few weeks from the crowd based on what's happening off-field with him," Yze said.

"​​He's just dealing with a bit off-field at the moment, and people are letting him know about it."

Although not confirmed by the Tigers coach as a the reasons behind the crowd's attention, Pickett is currently involved in a case related to alleged burglaries in WA across the 2022-23 AFL offseason.

According to reports, the case has been adjourned by consent in the Perth Magistrates Court several times with the latest adjournment holding it off until the end of June.

Yze said the Tigers have continued to support Pickett through the matter, with the player having successfully been able to focus on football at the club.

"He's been coping with that really well," Yze said.

"That process is bubbling along in the background, but you wouldn't notice it. He loves coming to training and he loves competing so we're gonna miss him."

Yze ruled Pickett out for their upcoming match with the Crows on Thursday with the calf injury.

"He's been working really hard with some of our younger wingers and his leadership out on the field is really important for us. So he's going to miss a couple of weeks, which is disappointing," he said.

Pickett's exit from availability lengthens the Tigers already brutally long injury list plaguing their season.

On Sunday the club confirmed Pasifika forward Mykelti Lefau, who had been handed responsibilities at Richmond's main target upfront across his opening games of AFL football, ruptured his ACL in the loss to the Cats at the weekend.

Yze said the news was "shattering" for Lefau, but "the character of the kid" would get the rugby league convert through the rehab process, who had previously returned from a similar injury to his other knee in the past.

Shai Bolton is expected to return after sitting out the Round 12 loss to Geelong with concussion after a huge collision with Lefau in the final quarter of Dreamtime at the 'G the week prior.