St Kilda will confront the in-form Fremantle without sharpshooter Jack Higgins after he was ruled out with a knee injury.
Higgins, a three-time club leading goal-kicker, came out of last Sunday’s win over Richmond with a swollen knee.
It’s a significant loss for St Kilda which has Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Max King, Mitch Owens and Liam Ryan on its injury list.
“(Higgins) won’t play, it’s sort of just flared up a bit, it’s just a bit swollen in the knee… he won’t play,” St Kilda coach Ross Lyon said.
Wanganeen-Milera is listed as two weeks away but Lyon says the Saints won’t risk long-term damage for short-term gain.
“As far as I know, he’s on track, pretty bubbly, he’d like to be playing, he says, ‘I feel a million dollars’,” he said.
“But sports science takes over and calves, you know, there’s been players if you get a chronic calf you’re gone.
“Like (Dan) Hannebery, (Harley) Bennell and (Eric) Mackenzie here, there’s probably a few others around the league.
“You just see the challenge with looking at another club like the Collingwood captain … (Darcy) Moore’s had real calf struggles, hasn’t he?
“You’ve got to be cautious with them, which we will be, yeah.”
St Kilda recorded one of its best wins of last season when it downed Fremantle by 10 goals at Marvel Stadium.
The Saints, led by Jack Macrae, dominated the Dockers at clearance (50-22) and contested possessions (151-103).
Lyon says that midfield battle — led by the challenge of stopping “unicorn” Luke Jackson — will be crucial.
“Our stoppage work is pretty good and clearly Rowan (Marshall) and TDK (Tom De Koning) as a combination are important to that,” he said.
“But we come up against the unicorn, right? You look at their midfield, they’re very good either end and well-led by their captain when he’s there.
“(Andy) Brayshaw is an MVP, (Caleb) Serong is an MVP and Jackson is a unicorn, isn’t he? And Shai Bolton is handy.
“…If you want to be the best, then you’ve got to beat the best… it’s an opportunity.”
