The same deficiencies that crept into Travis Cloke's game at Collingwood are behind the veteran forward's axing from the Western Bulldogs' line-up this week.
The 30-year-old was dropped three times by Nathan Buckley last season, with the Magpies coach demanding a stronger presence in marking contests.
Similarly, Luke Beveridge needs Cloke to either mark the ball or bring it to ground.
But a three-mark, one-goal return in last week's loss to Geelong saw him sent back to the VFL along with fellow key tall Jack Redpath.
"(Cloke's) omission this week is to take care of the things that we really need him to do as a key forward," Beveridge told reporters on Friday.
"The aerial part of the game and providing a contest is absolutely crucial for us and the same with Jack as well.
"There's an expectation with our players that in the air and on the ground that they all run out there to achieve similar things and we just didn't quite get what we needed from our key forwards.
"We were beaten in the air quite significantly by Geelong's defence.
"It's not something that there's a lack of clarity around."
While Cloke won't face St Kilda at Etihad Stadium on Saturday, Beveridge backed the 251-game veteran to fight his way back.
"He started the year in our best 22 and there's no reason why he can't come back into it," the coach said.
"It was sort of unexpected to see what unfolded last week ... I'm sure he can tidy that up pretty quickly."
First-year ruck-forward Tim English will make his debut, with mercurial forward Jake Stringer set to return from a knee injury and defender Shane Biggs also called up.
Premiership ruckman Jordan Roughead has resumed in the VFL, but the Dogs are keen to get more game time into him as he comes back from pre-season hamstring tendon surgery.
Beveridge has now made seven unforced changes in the past fortnight as the eighth-placed Dogs look to improve on their 5-4 record.
The clash against the Saints, who are ninth with a 5-4 record, looms as a pivotal one for the Dogs who have lost three of their past four matches.
The Bulldogs will be without important forward Stewart Crameri for the rest of the season after he underwent hip surgery this week.
After serving a doping ban in 2016, Crameri will have played two AFL games in two years heading into next season, but Beveridge said the club will continue to work with the 28-year-old, who is uncontracted next year.
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