Saints march back from injury for clash with Geelong

ST KILDA’s injury list has shrunk to just three players as Brett Ratten considers a Saints debut for James Frawley against Geelong’s twin towers on Friday night.

St Kilda jumped to a 4-4 win-loss record with a gritty win over Gold Coast, where the Saints kicked the only four goals of the final term.

Former Melbourne and

Hawthorn defender Frawley played VFL for Sandringham last week after hamstring tendon surgery but the VFL affiliate had a bye this weekend.

Ratten indicated Frawley was a big chance to return after the club’s win over Gold Coast given the Saints will have to deal with Jeremy Cameron, Tom Hawkins and Gary Rohan.

Seb Ross missed the St Kilda game after his wife Marnie

welcomed twins on

28th birthday.

Saints co-captain Jarryn Geary will make his return from a pre-season broken leg and ankle bone spur which delayed his start to 2021 in the VFL next weekend.

Ratten said after the gutsy victory even Dan Hannebery was making strong progress, with just Ben Patton (leg, season) and Jade Gresham (achilles, season) on the injury list his with the ex-Sydney midfielder.

“I wouldn’t say we are there. We need to finetune some things in our game but we are starting to get some personnel back. (Paddy) Ryder and (Rowan) Marshall and co, and next week Frawley will be available and Ross will come back into the team. Geary will play reserves so we are starting to get a few back.

“Hannebery is progressing well and taking small steps. If we can keep building momentum, it’s a marathon so we will lose some soldiers but we need to replace them with quality as well.”

The Saints have won both of their games with both Marshall and Ryder back in the side after injury.

And the club’s recruiting, which was criticised in recent weeks, was validated by Brad Crouch, Jack Higgins and Ryder kicking last-term goals.