St Kilda will confront the in-form Fremantle without sharpshooter Jack Higgins after he was ruled out with a knee injury.<\/p>\n
Higgins, a three-time club leading goal-kicker, came out of last Sunday\u2019s win over Richmond with a swollen knee.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a significant loss for St Kilda which has Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Max King, Mitch Owens and Liam Ryan on its injury list.<\/p>\n
\u201c(Higgins) won\u2019t play, it\u2019s sort of just flared up a bit, it\u2019s just a bit swollen in the knee\u2026 he won\u2019t play,\u201d St Kilda coach Ross Lyon said.<\/p>\n
Wanganeen-Milera is listed as two weeks away but Lyon says the Saints won\u2019t risk long-term damage for short-term gain.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs far as I know, he\u2019s on track, pretty bubbly, he\u2019d like to be playing, he says, \u2018I feel a million dollars\u2019,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut sports science takes over and calves, you know, there\u2019s been players if you get a chronic calf you\u2019re gone.<\/p>\n
\u201cLike (Dan) Hannebery, (Harley) Bennell and (Eric) Mackenzie here, there\u2019s probably a few others around the league.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou just see the challenge with looking at another club like the Collingwood captain … (Darcy) Moore\u2019s had real calf struggles, hasn\u2019t he?<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve got to be cautious with them, which we will be, yeah.\u201d<\/p>\n
St Kilda recorded one of its best wins of last season when it downed Fremantle by 10 goals at Marvel Stadium.<\/p>\n
The Saints, led by Jack Macrae, dominated the Dockers at clearance (50-22) and contested possessions (151-103). <\/p>\n
Lyon says that midfield battle \u2014 led by the challenge of stopping \u201cunicorn\u201d Luke Jackson \u2014 will be crucial.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur stoppage work is pretty good and clearly Rowan (Marshall) and TDK (Tom De Koning) as a combination are important to that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we come up against the unicorn, right? You look at their midfield, they\u2019re very good either end and well-led by their captain when he\u2019s there.<\/p>\n
\u201c(Andy) Brayshaw is an MVP, (Caleb) Serong is an MVP and Jackson is a unicorn, isn\u2019t he? And Shai Bolton is handy.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2026If you want to be the best, then you\u2019ve got to beat the best\u2026 it\u2019s an opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n