The Saints are coming off a tight win over Evandale with several changes expected to coach Dayle O’Neill’s arsenal due to injury.

Jacob Knight faces a concussion test, Todd Rattray is unavailable and captain Tom Hilder faced the tribunal on Thursday evening, while Josh Illingworth will be recalled among others.

“It’s always a good contest against the premiership favourites and we will need to mind their key mids and some of their running players from down back, but we will take the game on as well,” O’Neill said.

“It’s time to instill a consistent four-quarter effort into our young group.”

Thistles coach Kim Curtis said he is looking forward to coaching against his former teammate and breaking an ongoing hoodoo.

“I don’t think we have won a game at St Pats in the past three years… we’ll play our game and see how we go,” Curtis said.

Anthony Gibson is unavailable with Tom Allison and Chris Hughes to return.

Seniors start at 6.30pm with reserves to follow.

PROSPECT are on the improve with coach Brett Laskey eager for this week’s clash with Tamar Cats at Prospect Park.

“If we are going forward we need to be competitive and win against teams around us on the ladder,” he said.

“They beat Meander and Meander beat us so it is a bit hard to follow.”

Tim Woolley has recovered from an illness.

Cats coach Joe Hammond said it was a “relief” to jump on the winners list against Meander Valley after a horrid run of injuries interrupted their start to 2016.

“We knew that once we got players back we were going to be competitive – we were pretty consistent for four quarters last week,” he said.

“We will go into this week with a bit of confidence.”

Jason Savage and Damien Clarke will play with Ryan Bosker to miss.

LILYDALE coach Thane Bardenhagen will resume charge following a week off as the Demons face Meander Valley.

Bardenhagen will be joined back into the side by Jake Tuckerman, while Tom Reinmuth, Drew Bardenhagen and Kade Dwyer exit.

UNI-MOWBRAY take on Perth at University Oval with coach Nathan Lowe impressed with how several young players have performed.

He said Rhys Lovering and Issac Peters would return to give the Eagles more spread.

“Hopefully in the next two to three games we can settle on a lineup,” Lowe said.

EVANDALE will tackle Old Launcestonians at Morven Park with coach Anthony Axton admitting his coaching team were outdone last Saturday.

“It probably cost us four points in the end, we just didn’t adapt to the structure we needed to,” he said.

“We had plenty of the footy and inside-50s but we really need to work on the way we move the footy and lower our vision.”

Captain Justin Hutton will play, while ruckman Ben Nichols will undergo a fitness test.

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