KIWI-born midfielder Shane Savage has been selected to replace the suspended Adam Schneider for this Friday’s Anzac Day clash against Brisbane.

The former Hawthorn ball-winner, who played the first four games of the year for the Saints before being dropped to the VFL last week, collected 27 touches for Sandringham in its win over North Ballarat on Saturday.

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“Savage obviously went out of the team last week... and played the way we want him to play so he’s going to get his chance,” Alan Richardson told Saints Insider on Thursday afternoon.

The 23-year-old booted 37 goals in 56 games for Hawthorn, before being traded to the Saints in last year’s trade period.

Sandringham assistant and St Kilda development coach Paul Hudson was delighted with Savage’s offensive and defensive work for the Zebras in the 35-point victory.

“He won a lot of his ball in the contest under pressure,” Hudson said in his VFL player breakdown earlier this week.

“Shane did well in the clearances, worked hard, and applied good pressure as well. We were pleased with his output.”

Despite Alan Richardson suggesting experienced defender Sam Fisher was “a chance” to return to the senior line-up after 10 months out of the game, the 31-year-old has been named as an emergency.

Joining him is Trent Dennis-Lane, who booted four goals in the VFL last week, and ruckman Billy Longer.

In other selection news, Richardson said that former Kangaroo full-back Luke Delaney will get the job on Jonathan Brown, while Clint Jones will spend more time running through the midfield.

This Friday’s clash will be Nick Riewoldt’s 265th AFL game, placing him level with Garry Colling in seventh spot for total matches played for the club.  

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Lenny Hayes is in fifth spot with 281 games


B: Geary             Gwilt          Bruce
HB: Webster      Delaney      Dempster
C: Montagna      Hayes         Ray
HF: Steven         Riewoldt     Billings
FF: Saunders      Stanley       Templeton
Foll: Hickey, Jones, Dunstan
Int: Savage, Ross, Newnes, Curren
Emerg: Dennis-Lane, Longer, Fisher
In: Savage
Out: Schneider (suspended)