Dual Trevor Barker Award winner Sam Fisher will return against Carlton at the MCG on Sunday, after St Kilda made one change to the side that lost to North Melbourne last weekend.
Second-year utility Daniel McKenzie has been left out after playing the last month. He has been named as an emergency, along with medium-sized forward Cam Shenton and ruckman Jason Holmes.
Fisher, 34, hasn’t played since Round 10 after straining his troublesome hamstring at the main training session ahead of the Saints’ trip to Adelaide at the start of June.
The former All Australian defender suffered a setback in his rehabilitation a month ago, before returning via the VFL last Sunday. Prior to his injury, Fisher played nine of the opening ten games of the year, performing strongly in a defensive key post.
With Carlton possessing man mountain Levi Casboult deep inside 50, as well as ruckman Matthew Kreuzer, Fisher’s return comes at a good time for the Saints after North Melbourne’s tall attack wreaked havoc at times last Saturday night.
St Kilda may have won the last meeting between the two sides back in Round 12, but before that the Blues had won the previous four encounters. Although, at the MCG the Saints have won the last four meetings in a streak dating back to 1998.
Brendon Bolton’s side flourished in the early part of the season, winning six out of seven games at one stage to sit at 6-5 at the midway point of the season. Since then, the Blues haven’t been able to win a game, but their recent form is better than it looks.
In the last three weeks, Carlton has challenged reigning premiers Hawthorn at Aurora Stadium, Sydney at the SCG and West Coast at the MCG, without securing premiership points. In that time, their defence has improved, restricting the opposition to an average score of 76.7 points.
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Round 20 Premiership Team
St Kilda v Carlton
Sunday 7 August at 1.10pm
MCG
B: D. Roberton, S. Dempster, J. Geary
HB: J. Newnes, S. Gilbert, L. Montagna
C: S. Savage, S. Ross, B. Acres
HF: M. Weller, N. Riewoldt, J. Billings
F: T. Membrey, J. Bruce, N. Wright
R: T. Hickey, L. Dunstan, J. Steven
Interchange: D. Armitage, J. Gresham, S. Fisher, D. Minchington
Emergencies: D. McKenzie, C. Shenton, J. Holmes
IN: S. Fisher
OUT: D. McKenzie
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