St Kilda coach Alan Richardson is taking no notice of his team's dominant record against Melbourne with the AFL sides meeting in round one at Etihad Stadium.
The Saints haven't lost to the Demons since 2006 but Richardson says he was unaware of the statistic and his team are only focused on Sunday afternoon.
"I would have no idea; all I know is that our players have been focused on becoming a better footy team and looking to improve and grow," Richardson said.
"We know that Melbourne will have been doing the same because they were in a fairly similar situation last year in playing some pretty good footy.
"We'll be up against a hungry, desperate opposition keen for a win and we're exactly the same, desperate for a win.
The Saints, who missed the finals last season on percentage, have included new recruits Jake Carlisle, Nathan Brown and Jack Steele.
Key defender Carlisle joined the Saints from Essendon at the end of 2015 but missed last season with a doping ban while ex-Collingwood defender Brown and promising Giants midfielder Steele joined the club this season.
Carlisle and Brown will line up alongside fellow talls Dylan Roberton and Sam Gilbert, with Sean Dempster left out.
Richardson said Carlisle and Brown's impressive pre-season form would force changes to their backline.
"We certainly need to get some balance there and make sure we get some run from players like (Jimmy) Webster and (Jarryn) Geary and (Leigh) Montagna when he's available and Shane Savage," Richardson said.
Another recruit, former Bulldog Koby Stevens, has just returned to light training after spending a week in hospital with food poisoning.
Saints have picked Tom Hickey ahead of Billy Longer for what looms as a tough ruck challenge against All-Australian big man Max Gawn.
"We know that's a real strength for the Demons ... (but) Hickey couldn't have been any more impressive in his last outing against Sydney," Richardson said.
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