ST KILDA is poised to regain midfielder Lenny Hayes for Friday night's match against Adelaide at AAMI Stadium.

The Saints' only inclusion this week, Hayes missed the 15-point win over the Sydney Swans with a minor hamstring strain and takes the place of Raphael Clarke, who has also been sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Assistant coach Stephen Silvagni confirmed the change as the squad departed Melbourne Airport on Thursday afternoon.

"He got through a fitness test yesterday so I’m sure the team is very happy to have their vice-captain back in the side," he said.

"His trademark is the way he attacks the footy and that has been a history of his over so many years. He’s the one that probably sets the tone at the start of the game and it is great to have Lenny back in the side."

Silvagni added that defender Matt Maguire was getting closer to making his own official return from a serious foot injury.

"He’s probably a week or two away," Silvagni said. "His name certainly came up for selection this week.

"We’re trying to do the right thing by Matt to make sure when he comes into the side he’s in red-hot form and when he does come back, he stays in."

St Kilda will look to buck a worrying trend in this week's game, having lost 10 of their past 12 matches at AAMI Stadium.

However, Silvagni said there had been no mention of the side’s poor record throughout the week.

"We know it gets back to our effort," he said. "If we can control our efforts then we understand that we’re going to have to be on our game.

"If our effort’s right and we use the ball right we know we’re going to be competitive."

Silvagni said the opposition was the main challenge, not the venue.

"We know what the Crows are capable of and they always have a pretty impressive start to the year," he said.

"We always know they are up and going at the start and are fit, ready and healthy and it is no different this season."