ST KILDA is set to be without hamstrung ruckman Steven King for at least a fortnight, while young gun Sam Gilbert is looking at possibly two months out with a shoulder injury.

King, 29, sat out the second half of the Saints' win over Essendon on Friday night after twinging his hamstring and suffering a back spasm.

The club has said the premiership ruckman will miss two to three games, meaning the Saints could have to rely on the rucking work of Justin Koschitzke or recall the forgotten Michael Rix this week as fellow big man Michael Gardiner (calf) must pass a fitness test in order to play his first game since round two.

The news is worse for Gilbert, with the 21-year-old set to miss six to eight weeks with a shoulder injury. The young defender's AC joint complaint has been assessed as grade three, meaning the tall blond can expect to sit out until midway through the season.

Former Swan and handy goal-sneak Adam Schneider will be tested later in the week to see if he has overcome the hamstring injury that has kept him out for the past fortnight.

However, the Saints are set to regain the services of Steven Baker, now available after serving a seven-match suspension carried over from last season's rough conduct charge against Fremantle's Jeff Farmer.

St Kilda faces Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium on Saturday night.