St Kilda coach Ross Lyon has declared ruckman Rowan Marshall will be ready for the club's season opener against Adelaide in mid-March as he continues to recover from a pelvis injury.
Last week the Saints revealed that Marshall was no certainty to suit up for the trip to South Australia on March 16 due to the ailment, which could have the star tall facing up to two months on the sidelines.
Marshall underwent scans amid concerns of a stress fracture in his pelvis in what was another injury concern for the Saints just over a month out from Round 1.
Speaking to AFL.com.au, Lyon relayed his confidence in the 29-year-old facing the Crows after first hurting his pelvis at a camp abroad.
"He'll definitely play Round 1," the Saints coach said.
"A little bit unusual; a bit of a stress injury, or a precursor like a hotspot ... we did a leadership camp in New Zealand and he actually slipped going down a bit of a hill so we think that just sort of flared it up.
"We had a CAT scan, there's no stress or fracture, it's just settled and he's moving so he'll probably appreciate the rest of a week or two."
Marshall's race for the season opener comes as the Saints prepare to start their new campaign without a number of senior players.
Dougal Howard (shoulder) and Mattaes Phillipou (leg) have been ruled out for extended periods and will miss the opening month of the season at least, while question marks surround the selection prospects of Liam Henry (knee), Alix Tauru (back) and Paddy Dow (knee).
The loss of Howard could open the door for a potential Round 1 debut, with the Saints to rely on defensive reinforcements as they look to replace the injured stopper and departed backman Josh Battle.
Taura would have been one considered for a debut against the Crows, with the opportunity now a chance to be handed to one of Isaac Keeler or James Barrat.
Senior backman Zaine Cordy is a leading chance to fill a hole in Lyon's rearguard during the early rounds of the season. At the same time, swingman Anthony Caminiti could be positioned in defence to help relieve the undermanned unit.
Caminiti himself has faced an interrupted summer, having undergone a shoulder reconstruction following the 2024 season.
The Saints are set to face Carlton and Port Adelaide in the coming weeks as part of their pre-season fixture before heading to Adelaide Oval to meet the Crows at the start of the home and away campaign.
