Ash Richards will make her debut in tomorrow afternoon's Pride Round fixture at Casey Fields, with the speedy forward/midfielder one of four changes to face Melbourne.

Richards, taken at pick No. 12 at this year's AFL Women's Draft, will accompany the recalled Rhi Watt (AFL Health and Safety Protocols), Isabella Shannon and Tahlia Meyer, who is due to line up for her first senior appearance of 2022.

Caitlin Greiser, Alana Woodward and Renee Saulitis have been omitted for Saturday's match, while Nat Exon is set to miss Round 3 with a lower leg injury. Saulitis and Ella Friend have been named as emergencies.

Senior Coach Nick Dal Santo will retake the reins from Head of Player Development & Strategy Paddy Hill after missing last week's match against Collingwood due to AFL Health and Safety Protocols.

The Saints will wear their 2022 Pride Guernsey at Casey Fields to celebrate the journey of diversity and community. The guernsey was designed following extensive consultation with the LGBTQIA+ community and key club stakeholders, including members of the Saints’ AFLW leadership group.

Saturday is also set to feature the club's Next Generation Academy U16 Diversity Squads, with the girls' squad to headline the 11:35am curtain-raiser and the boys' squad to follow at 6:00pm.

St Kilda and Melbourne will go head-to-head on Saturday 22 January as part of the 2022 AFLW Pride Round, with the opening bounce at Casey Fields confirmed for 3:10pm.

IN: Meyer, Richards, Shannon, Watt
OUT: Exon (injured), Greiser (omitted), Saulitis (omitted), Woodward (omitted)
NEW: Richards