Melbourne are hopeful Clayton Oliver will finally make his eagerly awaited return from a lingering hamstring injury against St Kilda.
But the Demons will send Bayley Fritsch for scans after he was substituted out against GWS with a foot injury.
Oliver, 25, has been out of action since round 10, when he sustained a minor hamstring injury against Port Adelaide, missing Melbourne's subsequent five matches.
An infected blister meant the ball magnet spent five days in hospital, which the Demons believe contributed to the hamstring tightening again.
The Demons and Oliver then had to reject rumours the midfielder's absence was due to off-field behavioural issues.
Oliver was in Alice Springs watching on as the fourth-placed Demons lost to GWS on Sunday afternoon, their third loss from the five games without the star midfielder.
Coach Simon Goodwin was confident Oliver would return, after several false starts, for next Saturday's crucial clash with the fifth-placed Saints, who are level with the Demons on 36 points but trail them on percentage.
"He did a really strong session today with match loads," Goodwin said
"He's still got to tick off his speed through the week but we're really hopeful that he'll be available next week.
"I know I've said that a few weeks now.
"So once he ticks those markers off, he'll be available.
"He's put in a couple of really good weeks of training."
Fritsch, who has booted 29 goals this season, was forced out after his left foot was stepped on in a first-quarter marking contest.
"He's been stomped on, on his foot, so we just have to check him and see how he is and get an update on that," Goodwin said.
"He pulled up really sore and straight away came off and got assessed and wasn't able to go on.
"So clearly he'll go and have a scan and we'll be hopeful it's the best case scenario.
"We'll get a scan tomorrow on that and we'll get all the information we need and then our doctors will make a really good decision on what the best progress is moving forward.
"But fingers crossed on Bayley."
