Veteran Ryder back for Saints
STALWART SET TO RETURN FOR CAZALYS CLASH
THE Saints remain “devastated” after losing their rising star in Canberra, but vicecaptain Dougal Howard said the return of veteran Paddy Ryder has the side upbeat for their tilt in the tropics.
St Kilda touched down in Cairns on Wednesday for its round seven game at Cazalys stadium against Port Adelaide on Saturday night.
Territorian Ryder will make his return this weekend after serving his two-game ban from his controversial hit on Hawthorn’s Rowan Marshall.
“It’s great to have him back … he’s a massive inclusion for us, he’s a part of the core group and we get a lot of energy from him,” Howard said.
“We know Paddy’s gonna come on Saturday night and put his best foot forward.”
As well as Ryder, Howard said ruck Tom Campbell will be ready after missing a week due to Covid, with Max Heath padding out the side’s centre.
“We’ve got that depth now, so we’ll put it to good use,” he said.
The inclusions come as a relief for the fifth-placed Saints, fresh off losing rookie up and comer Jack Hayes to an ACL injury against GWS.
“It’s quite disappointing with what Haysey had done coming in, playing his role for our group,” Howard said.
“We ask that of all our young boys. The character Haysey is – we know he’ll come back from this injury but (I’m) devastated for him.”
This will be the second year in a row the Saints have played in Cairns, as part of a planned partnership to see more games come to Far North Queensland.
A Covid crowd of nearly 6000 punters attended a 2021 heartbreaker of a loss for the Saints to the Crows – Howard hoped this trip would yield different results for Cairns fans.
“We’re certainly trying to build that St Kilda fanbase up here,” he said.
“We’re certainly trying to get it (a win) this year and to get a few Cairns locals on board at our trainings.”
Howard – a Power draftee of 2014 – expected a typically tough game from his former team, who are looking to dig out of a disastrous 1-5 start to the season.
“I reckon they’ll be up and about, they finished strong against Carlton the week before,” Howard said.
“They’ve still got some very quality players and they’ve proven over the last couple of years they can match it with anyone.”