Richmond will take on the daunting task of facing St Kilda's three dynamic talls, Paddy Ryder, Rowan Marshall and Jack Hayes, with a view to exploiting them.
The Saints opted to keep both Marshall and Hayes in their 22 alongside the returning Ryder for Sunday's AFL clash at Marvel Stadium.
Former SANFL star Hayes, 25, has proved a revelation since signing in the supplemental selection period, with Richmond coach Damien Hardwick wary of all three St Kilda talls but hinting at a counter.
"Everything's exploitable, it depends on the way the game pans out," Hardwick said.
"St Kilda play a certain style of game but Paddy Ryder's such an important player to the way they play. I think they play their best footy when he's in the side, and they've certainly found one in Hayes also.
"... What I do know is all those players are very, very capable.
"Marshall's one of the best young ruckmen going around and Ryder, although experienced, has certainly got a spring in his step as well when he's playing his best footy.
"How they line up I'm not too sure but I certainly know we'll have our hands full at various stages."
St Kilda coach Brett Ratten noted it was important to strike a balance between aerial presence and numbers on the ground.
"The ball's on the ground a lot and you need to compete both in the air and at ground level," he said.
"We're No.2 for ground balls inside 50 and No.2 for pressure inside 50.
"That's the conversation for us: if we go too tall, do we maintain that? Yes it is a threat but getting the balance right is the conversation."
The Saints regained Dougal Howard from COVID-19 protocols while Richmond co-captain Dylan Grimes will return after missing the win over GWS with soreness, in a well-timed boost for the Tigers' defence.
The Tigers will again be without Jack Riewoldt (thumb) who withdrew from their initial squad on Friday, with Rhyan Mansell called upon.
The Saints dropped Ryan Byrnes, Darragh Joyce and last week's medical sub Cooper Sharman.
