Dan Hannebery has not played for St Kilda since Round 5 but has been recalled for tonight’s must-win clash with GWS at the Gabba.
The midfielder is back in the side after undergoing hamstring surgery earlier in the year, so naturally it is seen as a gamble to play him in such an important match.
The Saints need to win to secure a first finals berth since 2011 but the decision to recall Hannebery, who has struggled with soft tissue injuries over the past few years, is seen as somewhat of a risk by Terry Wallace.
“He’s just come out of the (quarantine) hub. He’s had one, maybe two, training sessions with them,” he said on SEN’s The Match Committee.
“He’s come off a hamstring operation. He’s come off average form prior, I think that’s fair (to say).
“To me, I think it’s an enormous call to be playing Dan Hannebery off that sort of break with the injuries that he’s had in the past and what he’s had to endure this season.
“If I was sitting on the match committee I’d be erring on the side of not playing him.
“I understand his leadership and the traffic cop that he can be, the head over the ball stuff that he can give, totally understand that side of it. I understand those that would play him, no issue there.
“I’m just saying that with the body of work as it is at the moment, I couldn’t stack up for him under these circumstances.”
Jake Carlisle has also been called up despite having not played since Round 13.
Plenty of Saints fans wanted the defender back to take on West Coast last week, in a game they eventually lost, but Wallace has questioned what his role would be under Brett Ratten.
“Everyone screamed from the rooftops last week that they were one tall short, and they probably were,” he added.
“Whether Jake Carlisle can play the role… Does he defend or is he an intercept defender? That’s my issue with Jake as a key defender in the side.
“If you’ve got two key defenders, he’s ok as the third man in, intercept, beautiful hands to be able to send the ball back the other way.
“I don’t think he is a backman who defends one on one against direct opponents.”
Carlisle’s return places him in defence alongside Dougal Howard and Callum Wilkie while Josh Battle has been named at centre half-back.
Zak Jones (hamstring) and Nick Hind (omitted) are the two players to make way for Hannebery and Carlisle.
The Saints require a victory to secure a top-eight finish otherwise they will be relying on the Western Bulldogs and Melbourne losing if they are to play finals in 2020.