St Kilda coach Alan Richardson admits he's unsure what effect midfielder Nathan Freeman's long-awaited AFL debut will have on the team performance against the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.
The powerful 23-year-old has finally overcome persistent leg injuries to play his first game nearly five years after being drafted.
"The circumstance behind Nathan's journey and how challenging it has been, his teammates see that and there's a fair bit of love, a lot of respect and admiration," Richardson said.
"What does that mean in terms of motivation and performance? Who knows. We had a pretty strong performance last week and we want to maximise our opportunities.
"That has been our focus and there's a chance that "Freeser" coming in gives the boys a bit of a lift."
Freeman, the No.10 pick in the AFL 2013 draft has endured several serious leg issues, particularly with hamstring ailments.
"I was always envious of the boys, playing junior footy with most of them and watching their careers from afar. Hopefully, my career is just starting now," Freeman said.
"The way they have looked after me and managed me, I can go out at the weekend confident that I can give it 100 per cent," Freeman said.
St Kilda still has big plans for the midfielder, traded to the Saints by Collingwood at the end of 2015 after just two pre-season games.
"It has been a huge challenging period. You can imagine what it would be like to be drafted so early and be such an exciting junior and then be five years when you don't play footy," Richardson said.
"To a club, we've been inspired by the way he has persisted and overcome the obstacles in such a positive and constructive way."
