Broadcast details: Fox Sports 3.30pm (AEST)
2007 ladder position: St Kilda ninth, Geelong first
2007 NAB Cup result: Both sides had their campaigns finished by the Brisbane Lions. The Saints were beaten in the first round and Geelong in the semi finals.
Medical room: Nick Riewoldt continues to recover from knee tendonitis, while Luke Ball, Lenny Hayes and Matt Maguire will also sit out once again.
Gary Ablett will miss the game with a calf strain and Matthew Egan will once again be unavailable for the Cats due to his troublesome right foot.
Match overview:
It might still be February but Geelong showed last week that it has no plans to take the foot off the pedal after a dominant 2007.
Even without several key players from last year’s premiership side, the Cats looked awesome as they put Melbourne to the sword at Skilled Stadium.
Usual suspects Jimmy Bartel, Steve Johnson, Cameron Mooney and Cameron Ling were back to their best, while lesser lights Kane Tenace and Brent Prismall also impressed.
Coach Mark Thompson is unlikely to rush back his big guns for the quarter-final clash with St Kilda, which also has many of its stars on ice.
Former Cat Charlie Gardiner will feel he has something to prove to the side that traded him (along with Steven King) for pick 90 in the 2007 NAB AFL Draft. Gardiner was a handy addition to the St Kilda forward line last week, while King shared the ruck duties with former Eagle Michael Gardiner. King will be rested for the match, meaning his long-awaited rematch with his former team until round four of the regular season.
Saints fans will also keep an eye out to see how Justin Koschitzke performs. The 25-year-old is expected to have a bigger role up forward this season and it will be a good test to see how he plays against the AFL’s best defence.
The Saints will welcome back Jason Gram and Sam Gilbert to the team, but it might not be enough against the all-conquering Cats.
The big questions:
Do the Saints have room for both Stephen Milne and Adam Schneider in the forward line?
Some saw the recruitment of Schneider as the death knell for Milne but the Saints No.44 was impressive last week, kicking three goals, and should hold on to his spot for the time being.
Schneider is still yet to pull on a Saints guernsey but when he is fit, expect him to be ahead of Milne in the pecking order.
There may be room for two goalsneaks but competition for spots will be intense in a forward line that also has to fit in Fraser Gehrig, Nick Riewoldt, Justin Koschitzke, Charlie Gardiner and resting midfielders.
Who is going to break into the Geelong side this year?
It is not easy to find an opening in a team that has nine All-Australians, but early signs are that there could be a few new fresh faces for the Cats this year.
Tom Hawkins is almost certain to be a regular feature up forward now that Nathan Ablett has retired and Prismall may find a spot in the midfield rotations.
Travis Varcoe, Nathan Djerrkura and Tom Lonergan will also be pushing for regular games.
Prediction: Geelong by 21 points.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
