St Kilda returns to Etihad Stadium to take on a surging Hawthorn side desperate to lock down a top-four finish.

With Nathan Brown suspended, Alan Richardson and his selection committee have made two changes ahead of the Round 22 clash to bolster the Saints’ defensive stocks and put a dent in the Hawks’ double-chance aspirations.

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Hugh Goddard returns to senior football for the first time in over two years on the back of a phenomenal month of football in the VFL, where he took a game-high 14 marks on the weekend.

The 196cm 21-year-old key defender has worked his way back into form after a torrid two years of injury and interruption, and Sandringham head coach Aaron Hamill is genuinely excited about Goddard’s prospects.

Ex-Port Adelaide defender Logan Austin also comes back into the side after a brief stint spent on the sidelines nursing a niggling groin strain.

After a solid outing for the Zebras, Austin’s 194cm and aerial ability should help negate the influence of Hawthorn’s tall forwards as the Saints look to sure up their relatively undersized backline.

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Nathan Brown has been suspended for three weeks after his bump on Bomber Adam Saad, while Nathan Freeman has been omitted.

Hunter Clark is still recovering from the illness that prevented him from playing any football last weekend and will return through the VFL after an interrupted training program.

IN: Hugh Goddard, Logan Austin
OUT: Nathan Brown, Nathan Freeman