VENUE & TIME: Etihad Stadium, Saturday 21 August, 2.10pm (AEST)
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 172, St Kilda 68, Richmond 102, Draws: 2
LAST TIME: St Kilda 14.13 (97) def Richmond 8.11 (59), Round 11, 2010 at Etihad Stadium
WALKING WOUNDED: St Kilda's Zac Dawson (hand), Michael Gardiner (hamstring) and Steven King (hamstring) will need to pass fitness tests to be considered for selection this week. Veteran defender Steven Baker is expected to recover from his fractured toe in time for the finals though Raphael Clarke (hamstring tendon) and Jesse Smith (ankle) will not play again this season. For the Tigers, three players - Matthew White (calf), Matt Dea (foot) and Jordan McMahon (ankle) - face fitness tests. The season is over, however, for eight team-mates - Tyrone Vickery (hip), Mitch Farmer (knee), Luke McGuane (knee), Nathan Foley (ankle), Ben Griffiths (shoulder), Tom Hislop (patella), Richard Tambling (leg) and Adam Thomson (groin).
FORM:
St Kilda's Past Five:
Round 20: Win, 17.13 (115) - 9.9 (63) v North Melbourne, Etihad Stadium
Round 19: Win, 23.13 (151) - 8.9 (57) v Port Adelaide, Etihad Stadium
Round 18: Loss, 11.9 (75) - 16.12 (108) v Essendon, Etihad Stadium
Round 17: Draw, 14.3 (87) - 13.9 (87) v Hawthorn, Etihad Stadium
Round 16: Loss, 6.16 (52) - 15.10 (100) v Collingwood, MCG
Richmond's Past Five:
Round 20: Loss, 10.7 (67) - 23.18 (156) v Carlton, MCG
Round 19: Loss, 11.14 (80) - 16.13 (109) v Melbourne, MCG
Round 18: Win, 15.10 (100) - 11.14 (80) v Adelaide, MCG
Round 17: Loss, 6.9 (45) - 19.13 (127) v Collingwood, MCG
Round 16: Loss, 7.11 (53) - 15.13 (103) v North Melbourne, MCG
WHO'S HOT: St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt enjoyed his best outing since returning from hamstring tendon surgery six weeks ago against North Melbourne last Sunday. 'Saint Nick' bagged seven goals from his 19 disposals and 10 marks, three of which were contested, in a commanding performance. Ben Cousins was one of the few to hold his own for the Tigers against the Blues last Saturday. Despite suffering a corked calf in the second quarter, the veteran midfielder picked up an equal team-high 26 touches.
WE THINK: The Saints have a very impressive streak on the go against Richmond. They've won the past 12 head-to-head clashes by an average of 45 points. That streak will extend to 13 on Saturday. The Tigers' mid-season revival has well and truly petered out over the past month. They've won just one of their past five matches and the four losses were heavy, by an average of 62 points. The Saints, in contrast, have bounced back strongly from their loss-draw-loss sequence to Collingwood, Hawthorn and Essendon to record commanding wins over Port Adelaide by 94 points and North Melbourne by 52. As far as possible, Saints coach Ross Lyon will be regarding the last two matches of the home and away season as full dress rehearsals for September. The Tigers will be shown no mercy. It's St Kilda by 58 points.