Cooper Sharman set to return for St Kilda, top pick Tobie Travaglia named to debut
St Kilda will be boosted by the return of a key forward and a top pick who will make his AFL debut.
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St Kilda is set for a boost at both ends of the ground on Saturday, as forward Cooper Sharman returns from injury and top draft pick Tobie Travaglia makes his AFL debut.
The Saints are fresh off a brilliant win over Geelong in round 2 and have the chance to move ahead of the ledger with a win over Richmond this Saturday.
Isaac Keeler will hold his spot in the side while Sharman and Travaglia have come in for forced changes Hunter Clark (abdominal) and Liam Stocker (concussion).
“We’ve got a couple to get through today but we did lose a couple,” St Kilda coach Ross Lyon said.
“Stocker with concussion, can you have a low level concussion? I think it is because all his markers are back.
“It was a great tackle and chase down, I am still marinating in that one, and then Hunter Clark has an abdominal issue.
“We’re really disappointed in that one (Clark) because we need continuity to build a great season.
“(Cooper) Sharman will definitely play as long as he gets through today. He looks a million bucks.”
Richmond was touted as a side that would struggle to win a game all year but burst out of the blocks with an upset win over Carlton in round 1.
The Saints are not taking the young Tigers lightly as they “understand the threat of complacency”.
“We’re not in a position to (be complacent), I had teams in the past where I just kicked them down the race and they won,” Lyon said.
“We got to a level, our DNA of how we competed, how we played and the list capabilities were really strong.
“In the end you could just kick them down the race, but we’re not at that level, we’re emerging, we’re on the street finding our way out.
“Every opponent is tough … I do like other coaches’ press conferences because they give you insights and every coach talks about the evenness of the competition.
“We understand the threat of complacency.”
Originally published as Cooper Sharman set to return for St Kilda, top pick Tobie Travaglia named to debut
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