IN A major boost ahead of the AFL season opener, Jack Billings, David Armitage, Billy Longer, Jarryn Geary, Josh Saunders and Shane Savage were today all confirmed as ready to play round one.

Armitage, Longer and Geary were rested during Thursday's clash against Hawthorn while Saunders has recovered and was named in the best for Sandringham on Sunday.

MATCH REPORT: Sandringham goes down to Northern Blues

Billings and Savage were both given a 3-4 week prognosis a fortnight ago and barring any further mishap, will be available for round one selection.

Farren Ray and Seb Ross are the only two players that will miss playing GWS on Sunday, April 5 due to hamstring injuries but both are aiming at a round nine return. Ross is now expected to return a week sooner than originally predicted.

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GM of Football Performance Jamie Cox said the six players that missed Thursday's clash with Hawthorn are important members of the playing group and would create plenty of selection pressure.

"These six players have all played in the NAB Challenge and intra-club matches and done a power of work over the pre-season so they should be fit and firing for round one," he said.

"The three boys who were rested for round three of the NAB Challenge had played the first two rounds and needed a break so will be better for the rest. The three boys coming off the injury list have all played pre-season games and completed the vast majority of pre-season training so their preparation hasn't been significantly affected."

And the positive news doesn’t stop there, with Leigh Montagna and Nathan Wright expected to be fit for the Saints round two clash against Gold Coast after both were subbed against Hawthorn last Thursday night.

UPDATED: Injury list

Cox said the club was disappointed Wright (adductor) and Montagna (meniscus) were injured in the Hawks clash but were relieved both would only miss one AFL game.

"You hate to see anyone injured but when you see an important player like Joey [Montagna] hurt his knee, you fear for the worst so we’re happy that it is a better outcome than that," he said.

Meanwhile, Nick Riewoldt is expected to be available for the season opener, with Alan Richardson suggesting the skipper is ‘very likely’ to play against the Giants.

“He will train really strongly up until round one… Of course he is very likely to play round one,” Richardson said last week.

“He had a similar preparation two years ago and had a really good year.”