After nearly a month, St Kilda will make its long-awaited return to Marvel Stadium this Saturday to battle Brisbane.

A loss to Carlton last fortnight followed by a week off to lick their wounds has Chris Fagan’s Lions determined to return to winning ways.

Much is often made about the ‘home ground advantage’, but the Saints have history on their side to add another layer of confidence in the lead-up to the game.

Marvel Stadium has served as the Saints’ stomping ground whenever the two sides have met, with the Lions’ last victory at the Docklands coming back in 2000 when the stadium was first opened.

Since then, St Kilda has played out some memorable matches under the roof, with Troy Schwarze’s miraculous match-winner in 2004 and the Saints’ 139-point victory the following year sticking out in the memory.

Additionally, the Lions haven’t travelled well on the road this season, with just two wins from their six interstate outings.

But history is made to be broken and not repeated, and Brisbane will be doing everything they can to ensure they buck the 19-year trend.

With the margin for error getting slimmer with each passing week, the clash is nothing short of pivotal for the two sides in keeping their September dreams alive.

One man who could make all the difference for the Lions is their skipper, Dayne Zorko.

By the numbers alone, the captain has been nothing short of inspirational in his side’s rapid surge up the ladder.

Ruthless pressure and unrelenting attack are the catalysts, with Zorko topping the league for tackles (87), tackles inside-50 (27) and pressure acts (345).

He’s similarly been influential on the scoreboard, leading the inside-50s competition-wide (78) and has even booted eight goals to further his impact.

Quelling the midfielder’s destructive tendencies will be at the forefront of Alan Richardson’s mind.

Lachie Neale poses another major threat with his ball-winning abilities and natural flair.

What Zorko has lacked in the accumulation of disposals has well and truly been covered by Neale, who at his new club has averaged 33 touches per game, inclusive of three 40+ hauls.

The 26-year-old’s ascendancy through the centre has reached league-high standards, Neale ranking second for disposals (392 at 80%) and third for clearances (90) and ground-ball gets (138).

And with Hugh McCluggage and Jarrod Berry running through the middle as well, there’s more than enough for the Saints to contend with.

While Neale has shaped as the boon recruit of the season, St Kilda will have the opportunity to unveil their own new talent in Dan Hannebery.

The premiership Swan will play his first game for the club after a frustrating spell on the sidelines with persistent niggles.

After two solid showings for Sandringham, Hannebery will at last don his new colours in front of the St Kilda faithful at Marvel Stadium.

He won’t be the only rejuvenated star out on the field, with Brisbane’s Daniel Rich enjoying a superb year across half-back.

Yet to drop a game below 20 disposals, the former pick No. 7 has delighted Lions fans through his strong marking (83) and rebounding (68), for which he leads his side.

More pertinent has been the territory Rich has been able to cover, with his 6323 metres gained placing him just behind competition leaders Jake Lloyd, Brodie Smith and James Sicily.

Alex Witherden’s rebounding has been just as proficient (66), while the sturdy defensive efforts of Darcy Gardiner and Luke Hodge have stabilised the back six through their respective elite spoiling and efficiency.

But Harris Andrews has been the gem of Brisbane’s defence.

The 22-year-old vice-captain has found himself nearing All Australian contention thanks to his superb intercept plays, for which he has racked up a team-high 73 possessions and 31 marks.

His one-percenters have been just as important, with 113 individual acts seeing him top the competition in that all-important area.

Charlie Cameron and Eric Hipwood pose as the duo’s main competition, whose combined 40 goals and extreme variance in height and playing style will be more than enough for the Saints to wrangle under their control.

Youth and experience, meanwhile, will be pitted against each other in the ruck, with Rowan Marshall and Stefan Martin set to go head-to-head.

Both ruckmen are close to equal in terms of mobility and clearance work, setting the foundation for an intriguing contest through the centre.

The Lions are determined to rediscover their roar.

But at their own fortress at Marvel, the Saints will be planning to keep them quiet.