NICK Riewoldt faces further fitness tests on his injured right calf this week but St Kilda remains optimistic the captain will be able to face Melbourne on Sunday at the MCG.
Riewoldt, 32, overcame the strained calf he sustained against Greater Western Sydney two weeks ago in the lead-up to Sunday's 16-point loss to Richmond.
He was able to play against the Tigers on an emotional afternoon for his family as his sister Madeleine was remembered during what was dubbed "Maddie's Match".
Riewoldt looked hobbled at times during the game but was instrumental in the final quarter where the Saints kicked six goals to none to reel in a 52-point deficit.
"He's a bit sore this week but we're hoping he'll get up again," teammate Mav Weller said on Tuesday.
"It's a bit sore but from what I know it's better than last week so I definitely wouldn't rule him out.
"He's a real chance to play."
Weller's final quarter goal, which came just before red time and on the end of a string of five unanswered Saints' majors, has been nominated for this week's Goal of the Year.
The former Sun, who has now kicked 17 goals in his career, said it was probably the best one he'd managed.
"It was at the stage of the game where we were just trying to get momentum and I just chucked it under my arm and went for it, really," he said.
"It happened pretty quickly. I know that I'm pretty quick so once I got out there and there was no one in front of me, I knew there wasn't long left in the game and we were coming hard, so I went for it.
"We had nothing to lose and I'm pretty fortunate it came off."
The Saints' run of six goals helped slash a 52-point three-quarter time deficit to just 15, before they eventually went down by 16 points.
Weller, who has spent time in multiple roles this year but on Sunday was predominantly placed forward, said there were encouraging signs from they way they fought back.
"When we put four quarters together, that's when we're a really good side but at the moment we're only playing good halves of footy and not getting the results," he said.
"It was a lacklustre middle two quarters and we came back hard, but it's a young group and we feel like we're growing still.
"[Alan Richardson] did actually say [afterwards] he doesn't think we realise how good we can be.
"It's our second year into a solid game plan and a lot of these players have played under 20 games. We had Hugh [Goddard] and Paddy [McCartin] come in and they were really good for us on the weekend.
"It's a matter of time before it all clicks."
