Saints leave Steven out of final AFL team

St Kilda have only made one change for their AFL match against Hawthorn, with Jack Steven not in the final 22.

St Kilda star Jack Steven

St Kilda star Jack Steven is far from certain to return against Hawthorn. (AAP)

St Kilda star Jack Steven is out of their final team for Sunday's big AFL game against Hawthorn.

The four-time club best and fairest trained on Friday, but coach Alan Richardson said they had not confirmed the midfielder's position in their final 22.

Steven had a long chat with Jarryn Geary at the end of training.

The star midfielder returned from time off because of mental health issues to play in the Saints' opening two wins, before being rested for their narrow away loss to Fremantle.

Steven would have been a massive boost for the Marvel Stadium clash, but the Saints are being cautious with him.

Their only change was to bring in Ben Long for Luke Dunstan.

"He (Steven) did a really good effort to get up for our first couple of weeks and we alluded to last week, he was a little bit sore, he wasn't quite right," Richardson said before training.

"We'll just have to wait and see, firstly how he trains and then how he pulls up.

"It's just making sure he's right to play."

Big-name recruit Dan Hannebery also had a light run on Friday at Moorabbin as he tried to rebuild fitness.

The former Sydney star is yet to play this year and Richardson remains unsure when he'll be ready.

Asked if Hannebery might be right by round six, Richardson said "it will be a bit longer than that.

"It all depends on how he progresses and, as we up the ante, and as he gets more intensity into his training, how he responds," he said.

The Saints only have a win and a draw from their past 10 clashes with Hawthorn, who represent a step up in opposition after Gold Coast, Essendon and the Dockers.

Star recruit Chad Wingard was pivotal last week in his Hawthorn debut but Richardson said he was only one of several challenges for the Saints' defence.

Apart from Luke Breust and Jack Gunston, Isaac Smith is spending more time in attack and Jarryd Roughead will return from injury.

"He makes the most of any opportunity he gets, so we have a lot of respect for his game," Richardson said.

"They have a lot of talent in that front half."


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Source: AAP


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