Despite the mounting injury list, St Kilda will look to come off its bye on a high note with a much-needed win over Gold Coast.

But the Suns will be intent on souring such an occasion.

Stuart Dew’s young brigade came close to playing spoiler in Round 1, with the Saints scraping through a one-point victory to kickstart their 2019 campaign.

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A ninth consecutive defeat now looms for the Suns, but a loss for the red, white and black could be equally damaging.

With just one win coming from the past six games, Alan Richardson’s men must chalk up another four points to climb up the ladder and keep their season on track.

Fittingly, a journey up north to Townsville could be reflective of the Saints’ direction, with a victory putting them on the same points as the currently eighth-placed Port Adelaide.

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It will be the first time either side has played at Riverway Stadium, and St Kilda have prepared accordingly with additional heat-intensity training sessions.

But neither side could have prepared for the sheer amount of injuries which have plagued their seasons.

Much like the Saints, the Suns are far from full strength and have been decimated by injury throughout the course of the year.

Jarrod Harbrow has remained a constant however, missing just the one game this season.

The reining club best and fairest has pieced together an influential 2019 campaign, with his leadership, run and carry and rebounding off half-back giving the Suns every opportunity to initiate their assaults forward.

Jarrod Harbrow and Jack Sinclair contest for the footy.

Gold Coast rank second in the league for total rebounds (537), with the Saints well in their wake in 18th place (403).

It hasn’t translated to scoreboard success however, with the Suns in last position for total goals (103) and inside 50s (562); St Kilda placing just above them with 115 majors and 563 entries.

Jack Hombsch, meanwhile, has held down the key posts and played a major role in the Suns having the least amount of goals scored against them competition wide.

St Kilda’s backline will be strengthened by the return of Jonathon Marsh and Daniel McKenzie, along with newcomers Brandon White and Nick Hind.

The latter two have been superb in the VFL, with their respective precision by foot and speed invaluable attributes for Saturday’s clash.

Alex Sexton (23 goals) has served as the Suns’ most damaging in attack alongside Peter Wright (14), but due to strings of injuries to their surrounding smalls, have been hampered on the scoreboard.

Gold Coast’s midfield shapes as its most glittering attribute, with several young players flying well under the radar amid their winless streak.

While the usual suspects of David Swallow (leading clearances and contested possessions) and Lachie Weller have performed consistently throughout the course of the year, it’s been lesser-known names who have had just as significant impact.

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Brayden Fiorini has flown by largely unnoticed, chalking up six games above 30 disposals and is yet to drop a game below 20 touches.

Leading the Suns for disposals (312) and utilising his ability to find space through his accumulation of uncontested footy, the 21-year-old is enjoying the benefits of an uninterrupted season.

Forward-turned-midfielder Darcy MacPherson has similarly starred in his new role, ranking third in the league for tackles (79) and second for pressure acts (307), while Wil Powell has been pivotal along the wing despite quieter outings in recent weeks.

The absence of Jack Steele through injury will hurt significantly, but the Saints will be buoyed by the inclusions of Hunter Clark and David Armitage.

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Both have featured among the best afield for Sandringham on a regular basis, with Saturday shaping as an opportunity for them to cement their standings in the Saints’ best 22.

The addition of Blake Acres, meanwhile, will add some much-needed versatility to the Saints’ engine room.

Off the back of his dominant outing in Shanghai, Rowan Marshall will have his chance to go up against Jarrod Witts, whose dominance in the ruck has seen him sit on top of the table for hit-outs (550) – 48 more than the second-placed Brodie Grundy.

A win on the board is nothing short of a necessity for both sides.

And the Saints will be leaving nothing in the tank.