Veteran St Kilda star Leigh Montagna will return for the trip to Perth to face West Coast on Saturday night, along with key forward Paddy McCartin and big-bodied midfielder Blake Acres.
St Kilda was forced to make two changes after last weekend’s loss to Melbourne, with Nick Riewoldt (knee) and David Armitage (groin) sidelined due to injury, while Nathan Wright has been omitted.
After missing the entire JLT Community Series due to a calf strain, dual All-Australian Montagna comes straight back into the Saints line-up following a much needed hit out in Sandringham’s practice match against Port Melbourne last Sunday.
McCartin, who was a late withdrawal last Saturday before playing in the VFL, comes in for his first senior game since breaking his collarbone against Richmond in the second last game of last season, after booting three goals at Trevor Barker Oval.
West Australian Acres returns home and returns to Alan Richardson’s 22 after being named an emergency against the Demons.
The 21-year-old onballer produced a breakout patch at the tail end of last season, playing the last 11 games where his finish to the year was as good as any Saint across the final five games of 2016.
After a comprehensive midfield loss to Melbourne, St Kilda will face another difficult task at Domain Stadium on Saturday night, with the injection of Sam Mitchell boosting a midfield already containing Brownlow medallist Matthew Priddis, reigning best and fairest winner Luke Shuey and All-Australian wingman Andrew Gaff.
Jack Steven and Jack Steele were St Kilda’s two prime movers in Round 1, but Richardson will be looking for a more even spread of midfield contribution on the wide expanses of Subiaco.
With no Riewoldt this weekend, the Saints will need more scoreboard impact from Josh Bruce, Tim Membrey and McCartin against the Eagles.
St Kilda will be hoping for another first-class pressure effort from livewire forward Jack Lonie, who ranked 9th in Round 1 for pressure points per 100 minutes, behind the likes of Tom Liberatore, Andrew Swallow, Dayne Zorko and Joel Selwood.
Despite registering the second least inside 50s in Round 1, St Kilda converted their entries into goals 30.2 per cent of the time, ranked 4th in the AFL for Round 1.
If the Saints can be as efficient in the west, with more opportunities to score, they will give themselves an opportunity to challenge a West Coast outfit, who St Kilda hasn’t beaten in their last seven encounters.
Round 2 Team v West Coast
Saturday April 1, 7.40 pm
Domain Stadium
B: Jarryn Geary, Nathan Brown, Jimmy Webster
HB: Jack Newnes, Jake Carlisle, Dylan Roberton
C: Shane Savage, Jack Steele, Jack Billings
HF: Jack Lonie, Josh Bruce, Mav Weller
F: Jade Gresham, Tim Membrey, Paddy McCartin
R: Tom Hickey, Seb Ross, Jack Steven
Interchange: Luke Dunstan, Blake Acres, Leigh Montagna, Sam Gilbert
Emergencies: Billy Longer, Jack Sinclair, Daniel McKenzie
IN: L. Montagna, B. Acres, P. McCartin
OUT: N. Riewoldt (knee), D. Armitage (groin), N. Wright (omitted)
