GUN RECRUIT Dan Hannebery isn't the only Saint on the verge of a comeback.
Captain Jarryn Geary, top draft pick Max King and star defender Jake Carlisle are also on the cusp of returning from injury, just in time to aid St Kilda's improving finals chances.
The Saints remain out of the top eight on percentage only after a narrow 13-point win over the Blues on Sunday, with the club hopeful it will regain its skipper Geary next week.
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That's despite a lengthy 10-hour plane trip overseas to China, where St Kilda will journey to Shanghai for the first time in the club's history to meet Port Adelaide on Sunday.
"He's not a certainty, but he is a chance," St Kilda coach Alan Richardson said.
"His training up until now … is giving him a chance. He wants to play, but we just have to get that ticked off from the medicos.
"I asked the same question (about the travel to China). Initially it was a corkie and with corkies, you don't like them flying from an altitude perspective.
"He wouldn't go if that was an issue, but my understanding is it's not."
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King, claimed by St Kilda with the fourth selection in last year's NAB AFL Draft, is also on the verge of making his senior debut after another strong performance in the VFL on Sunday.
The highly talented 202cm forward is returning from an ACL injury, but kicked another two goals from three marks during Sandringham's victory over the Northern Blues.
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"He had a pretty good second half last week," Richardson said.
"I asked him post-game to let me know when he thinks he's right. That doesn't necessarily mean he's straight in, because I'm half-expecting a phone call right now.
"He's a really ambitious and driven kid. He wants to make sure he's right and we'll of course make sure he's really right. He's a big, tall bloke and they take a while.
"He's coming off a knee reconstruction, but he's moving really well. We're just pleased that he's starting to play good footy. Today was his third game, but it's heading the right way."
Carlisle is recovering quicker than expected from a back injury, though he will return through the VFL, while St Kilda also expects Hannebery to play for Sandringham next week.
Hannebery is yet to make his Saints debut due to lingering hamstring and calf issues.
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