ST KILDA'S forward line will be boosted by the return of Paddy McCartin against Essendon on Sunday at Etihad Stadium.
Drafted at pick No.1 in 2014, McCartin played four consecutive games earlier in the season before being left out of the team.
Tim Membrey replaced him against Melbourne and kicked five goals, making it more difficult for McCartin to return to the senior team.
McCartin kicked two goals in the VFL last week against the Casey Scorpions.
"Paddy will play," coach Alan Richardson said at Seaford on Friday.
"His footy (for the Saints) had been pretty positive. His game down in Tasmania against the Hawks is a good example of that – he potentially could have won the game for us late, with a really big, strong mark.
"He's gone back (and) been able to freshen up a little bit."
Bringing the 20-year-old in means he will join skipper Nick Riewoldt and fellow marking forwards Josh Bruce and Membrey for the first time.
Richardson was confident a tall forward line would work well.
"Tim didn't quite get it done last week – not many did really – but prior to that … he kicked eight goals in two weeks," he said.
"Brucey's been strong for us all year. He hasn't quite had the scoreboard impact but we really like his contest."
Bruce has registered 15.9 this year but is ranked 12th in the competition for contested marks per game.
The coach predicted slightly more time in the middle for the captain.
"(Riewoldt will) play a bit more mid. At the moment, it's probably been 40 per cent midfield, 60 per cent forward," Richardson said.
"That might swing around. It might be more 50-50.
"I'm comfortable with four of them going forward."
St Kilda missed defender Sam Fisher in the 103-point loss to West Coast last Sunday. Richardson said the 33-year-old would definitely return, despite being named on the extended bench.
"He was pretty close last week," Richardson said.
"He had just pulled up a little bit sore, (and) coupled with the trip (to Perth), it just wasn't worth the risk.
"He'll be fine to go."
Blake Acres, the round six NAB AFL Rising Star nominee, trained with the VFL group but according to Richardson, the 20-year-old remains in contention to play the Bombers.
"He's a chance. He hasn't had a great couple of weeks. Obviously three weeks ago he was really good for us," Richardson said.
"He knows that there's some areas he needs to work on but he's still a chance to play in this one."
And midfielder Nathan Freeman will spend more time training as he bids to make his AFL debut.
After being drafted at No. 10 in 2013, hamstring issues have dogged Freeman.
He played just under three quarters for Sandringham's reserves team last week and gathered 10 disposals.
"Freezer pulled up really well, but our plan always that was he was going to play, and then we were going to put a bit more load into him," Richardson said.
"(It's a) really conservative approach for Freezer. He's embraced that.
"You can imagine a young bloke coming to a new footy club wants to play but he's got real clarity around what it looks like for him."
