LUCKLESS St Kilda midfielder Nathan Freeman is a "bit stiff" to be dropped, according to coach Alan Richardson, while defender Hugh Goddard is playing for his career.

Goddard was brought in on the back of excellent VFL form in the past few weeks – including a 22-disposal, 14-mark effort in a loss to the Casey Demons last Saturday – to replace suspended regular key backman Nathan Brown.

The 21-year-old, who was taken with pick No.21 in the 2014 NAB AFL Draft, is out-of-contract at season's end and with two games to play, he has a chance to impress the list management committee, starting against Hawthorn on Saturday night at Etihad Stadium.

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"When you're a team that's not going to play finals, there's always a balance with selection. (Goddard) gets in because we need him to come in. It is the right time for us to get that balance right," Richardson said. 

"If there's guys that are out of contract, it does give you a good opportunity the last couple of weeks.

"Nathan Freeman is another pretty good example of that, to at least have a look at their game, but you also need to make sure you're rewarding really good form, that we maintain credibility in selection, and they're playing the right way. Hughy ticks all those boxes."

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Freeman was brought in for the first two matches of his career after multiple injury setbacks, largely to his right hamstring, but has been sent back to Sandringham.

"He's actually a little bit stiff, 'Freeza'. We think his footy's been OK and we were pretty keen to keep him going if we could but the reality is the Hawks are playing a pretty big front half and it just means that it's squeezed one of our mids out," Richardson said.

"Given (Isaac) Smith on the wing, (Jaeger) O'Meara, obviously (Tom) Mitchell, we've got to make sure strategically that we've got really strong match-ups.

"The message to Freeza is that we're pretty pleased that what he's done the last couple of weeks."

Goddard hasn't played since round 11, 2016, when he ruptured the Achilles tendon in his left leg against Adelaide. Turf toe last year also held him back, and it took a while for the first-round selection in 2014 to regain his form.

Jake Carlisle didn't join his teammates at training on Friday after the birth of his son Nash, but will face Hawthorn.

Meanwhile, speculation is mounting Richardson's job could be in trouble despite him being contracted until the end of 2020.

Performance clauses would activate the final season of that deal.

"All I'm focusing on is this week, against Hawthorn. That's my job," Richardson said.

"My job's not to worry about me. My job's to worry about the footy club and the team, and to make sure that we're really focused. I spend absolutely no time worrying about that, or more to the point, focusing on that."

Despite a dire season that has seen the Saints win just four games and draw with Greater Western Sydney, Richardson believes the club's fortunes can change in the near future.

"When you have players like (Nick) Riewoldt and (Leigh) Montagna and (Sean) Dempster leave, Dylan Roberton doesn't play, Josh Bruce doesn't play, (Ben) Long doesn't play, Koby Stevens doesn't play, it's pretty clear that we haven't quite had the depth to cover that, but what has happened, it's given us fantastic opportunity to get games into younger players," Richardson said.

"Our leaders have had really significant challenges and they're going to be better for this.

"Right now, they'd be certainly feeling I reckon a bit of pressure, but I reckon that's going to be good for them going forward.

"As we've stated publicly, if we make sure we're really strongly in this free agency, trade, national draft period, and make good decisions, I'm confident that this group can rebound really quickly."