St Kilda’s bye round is over and the boys are back on the track as the club prepares to kickstart the second half of its 2022 season this Saturday night.
Travelling up to the Gabba to face the second-placed Lions, the Saints will need to be at their best to come home from Brisbane with the four points.
With a handful of Saints either returning from injury or putting together strong form in the VFL, Brett Ratten will have plenty to think about at the selection table.
Jack Higgins
It has been nearly a month since Jack Higgins was last seen in St Kilda colours, but that could change this Saturday night as the lively small forward puts his hand up for selection.
Concussion and AFL Health and Safety protocols had kept Higgins out of action, but with the bye rounds giving him an extra week to recover, the No. 22 will be keen to take on the Lions should he be selected.
The 23-year-old has been in superb form this season while in the side, slotting 16 goals from eight games as he operates through a powerful one-two punch alongside tall forward Max King.
Jack Billings
After being omitted from the Round 11 side due to team balance, Jack Billings returned the VFL level and responded in the best possible way.
25 disposals, six tackles, four clearances and one goal were the fruits of his labour out at Sandringham, with the crafty Saint playing a mixture of up forward and on the wings.
With 146 games of experience in his back pocket, plus some impressive form for the Zebras, Billings may be pulling on the red, white and black this weekend at the Gabba.
Hunter Clark
With classy performances for Sandringham over the past two games, Hunter Clark could be in line for his long-awaited return this Saturday.
Similar to Higgins, AFL Health and Safety protocols scuppered Clark’s possible selection in Round 11, but the silky half-back has trained well throughout the bye week and has impressed in the VFL since his return from a shoulder injury.
Numbers of 28 and 31 disposals in his last two games for Sandringham only paint half the picture, with the No. 11 often controlling the play and using the ball efficiently.
Should he find his name on the team sheet for Round 13, it will be Clark’s first appearance in St Kilda colours since the pre-season.
Dan Butler
Five goals, 23 disposals and five tackles.
Those were the numbers from Dan Butler’s last game for the Zebras, who dominated throughout the day to ensure his name would be talked about to take on Brisbane.
Despite an ankle injury and strong form from St Kilda’s youngsters keeping Butler out of the side, the 26-year-old will be keen to find his way back into the starting line-up with his 100th AFL game approaching.
While his outstanding display in the VFL will almost certainly come into consideration at the selection table, it is Butler’s ability to hound and chase the opposition that may be the deciding factor in whether the Saints pull the trigger on the No. 16’s return.
In contention
With his name appearing on the emergency list for the last three games, Jarrod Lienert will be looking to find his name in the final 22 this Saturday.
The St Kilda defender has been in fine form at the VFL, repelling the opposition forwards and working well down back alongside Darragh Joyce and Tom Highmore.
Highmore is another who will be looking for the opportunity to break back into the AFL side, after spending much of the season plying his trade in defence for Sandringham.
The high-flying intercept mark debuted last season and played 13 games for the year, but the return of Ben Paton from injury and Josh Battle’s strong form in a similar role has kept Highmore out of the line-up.
Last week's medical sub Ryan Byrnes will be looking to shed the vest and line-up on field this Saturday night, while former skipper Jarryn Geary will miss this week after managing a shoulder issue.
