ST KILDA coach Alan Richardson hasn't felt any trepidation picking skipper Nick Riewoldt and Paddy McCartin to play Hawthorn after the Saints pair were given the all-clear from concussion this week.
Riewoldt and 2014 No.1 draft pick McCartin were both forced from the ground by high hits before half-time in the Saints' electric win over Collingwood last Saturday, with neither returning after the long break.
Riewoldt's incident was particularly concerning given his history of concussions over his 301-game career and, despite passing a concussion test, club doctors refused to allow him to return to the field.
Last year the 33-year-old had to be stretchered from the ground and spent the night in hospital following a clash with Crows running defender Brodie Smith.
But speaking ahead of a daunting trip to face the Hawks in Launceston, Richardson said he had full faith in the Saints' medicos and he doesn't feel any trepidation about naming Riewoldt this week.
"In my time (as coach) it's only the second time (he's been concussed). This was relatively minor compared to last year's," Richardson said at Melbourne Airport.
"Last year's was a big hit. You sit there as a coach in the box and of course you're concerned for player safety, but what I do know is we've got a really impressive group of doctors. Our medical team is outstanding.
"They (the players) get fantastic treatment, they get looked after, they wouldn't be playing if they weren’t right to play.
"So from a coaching perspective, once you've been given the all-clear you feel really comfortable they're right to go, so there's not a lot of trepidation from my perspective."
The Saints' brave triumph over the Pies took its toll, with defender Dylan Roberton (knee) another casualty - they finished with just 19 fit men on the bench in the second half.
However, Richardson didn't think a heavier workload contributed to soft-tissue injuries suffered by important midfielders Jimmy Webster (quad) and Luke Dunstan (hamstring) at training this week.
"It's hard to say. We looked at the loads, the load were reasonable, in fact we were able to maintain rotations through the midfield," Richardson said.
"Webster had 12 possessions in the last quarter and I said after the game with Dunstan that was probably his best quarter - and he had a really significant influence on the outcome of the game his third quarter.
"We don't think there was any correlation between the fact they had to hang around a bit longer because of injury to others, but someone else will get an opportunity."
Webster and Dunstan are expected to miss a couple of matches each, opening the door for Blake Acres, Eli Templeton and Tom Lee to come into the side.
Lee, 25, has been reborn as a key defender after starting his career up forward and gets his chance to play his first senior match since round 14, 2014.
"It's a great story, isn't it?" Richardson said.
"He played predominantly back all year last year in the VFL. I'm really looking forward to seeing how he goes.
"He'll get a good player. Their forward line's full of them, and it will be a great opportunity for him."
The Saints face a monumental assignment against the Hawks at their Launceston fortress. The reigning premier welcomes back skipper Luke Hodge but loses Josh Gibson to hamstring tightness.
The three-time defending premiers have won 15-straight at their adopted home venue - and 22 of the past 23 stretching back to round 12, 2010 - and have beaten the Saints by an average of 64 points in their last five meetings.
