Where and when:
Saturday August 2, 7.40pm
Metricon Stadium
Fox  

Overview:  
St Kilda’s upset victory over Fremantle a fortnight ago has given Alan Richardson’s young team a great deal of impetus heading into the last five games of the year. The same cannot be said for the Gold Coast Suns, who went down to Brisbane last weekend in a display Guy McKenna would rather forget.

These two unexpected results make this weekend’s clash an intriguing one. Can the Suns bounce back? Or will the Saints continue on their merry way?

One thing is for sure; without Gary Ablett, Gold Coast is far more vulnerable than it was prior to his season-ending shoulder injury.

In his absence Dion Prestia has been handed the captaincy, while David Swallow and Jaeger O’Meara have been forced to carry the majority of the midfield load.

While Ablett’s injury allows other young Suns to shine, their last two games also indicate a few teething problems that illustrate just how valuable the dual Brownlow medallist is.

Meanwhile, St Kilda has strengthened in recent weeks, with the return of Sam Fisher and emergence of Rhys Stanley especially pleasing from a Saints perspective. 

But regardless of personnel, the result of this Saturday night’s clash rests largely on effort and intensity. The Suns must win to keep their dimming finals hopes alive, while the Saints will be eager to register back-to-back victories for the first time since rounds one and two this year.

Did you know?
First-year St Kilda forward Jack Billings is the league's most efficient player when targeted inside 50, with 76.5 per cent of the Saints' forward entries directed to classy youngster leading to a score (not necessarily kicked by Billings).

RELATED: Billings lauds complete performance

Injury list:
St Kilda:
Sean Dempster (Concussion) – Test
Sam Gilbert (Foot) – Test
Jack Steven (Leg) – Test
Jarryn Geary (Elbow) – 2 weeks
Arryn Siposs (Shoulder) – Season
Tom Lee (Shoulder) – Season
Daniel Markworth (Hamstring) – Season
Eli Templeton (Arm) – Season
Beay Maister (Shoulder) – Retired
Jimmy Webster (Foot) – Season
Tom Hickey (Knee) - Season

VIDEO: Round 19 injury report

Gold Coast:
Gary Ablett (Shoulder) – Season
Charlie Dixon (Quad) – TBC
Josh Hall (Shoulder) – Season
Karmichael Hunt (Knee) – TBC
Jack Hutchins (Quad) – TBC
Kade Kolodjashnij (Hamstring) – 1-2 weeks
Jack Leslie (Back) – 1-2 weeks
Brandon Matera (Groin) – Test
Trent McKenzie (Hamstring) – Test
Tom Nicholls (Knee) – Indefinite
Michael Rischitelli (Leg) – Test
Zac Smith (Ankle) – Season
Seb Tape (Hamstring) – Test
Jeremy Taylor (Achilles) - Test

SCOUTING REPORT: Ablett the coach

Last round:
St Kilda 17.16 (118) defeated Fremantle 9.6 (60)
Gold Coast 8.8 (56) defeated by Brisbane 16.14 (110)

SCOUTING REPORT: McKenna's brutal review

Adam Schneider fights for the ball in round nine. (Photo: Dave Savell)

Running hot:
St Kilda: Rhys Stanley
St Kilda fans will be hoping Stanley’s last outing was just a small snapshot of things to come.

Against Fremantle, the agile forward collected 19 touches, booted three goals and clunked a career-high 14 marks. If he can produce similar numbers against the Gold Coast, the Saints will be a very hard team to beat.

RELATED: Stanley's dominance a matter of time

Gold Coast: Dion Prestia
Gold Coast’s stand-in skipper has enjoyed an outstanding season. Not only does he average 27.2 disposals per outing, but he has also laid six or more tackles in three out of the last five weeks.

Watch out for:
St Kilda: Leigh Montagna
Montagna’s past two games have been a welcome return to his early season form. The prolific midfielder collected 25 disposals against North Melbourne in round 17 and a further 27 versus Fremantle the following Saturday.

But it’s been a while since he’s genuinely torn a game apart and after a week off, he will be primed for a stellar performance against the weakened Suns midfield this Saturday night.

Gold Coast: David Swallow
Although Swallow would probably categorise his own season as a touch inconsistent, the facts remain that whenever he plays well, the Suns invariably win.

This was evident in round 16 against Collingwood, when Swallow’s 31 disposals helped inspire his team to a hard-fought victory over the Magpies.

Last time they met:
Round 9, 2014 at Etihad Stadium
St Kilda 13.9 (87) defeated by Gold Coast 19.11 (125)
Disposals: Hayes (32), Ablett (37)
Goals: Steven, Milera, Riewoldt (2 each), Ablett (4)

MATCH REPORT: Slick Suns too good for Saints