St Kilda Coach Alan Richardson says it’s vital the back six defends as a unit if the Saints are going to limit the influence of powerhouse full forward Tom Hawkins, as well as the Cats band of weapons inside 50.

The Saints key defensive stocks have been decimated by injury in recent weeks, with stalwarts Sam Fisher (hamstring) and Sean Dempster (knee) missing, along with Hugh Goddard (Achilles) and Tom Lee (knee).

Ahead of Saturday night’s game against ladder leaders Geelong, Richardson indicated that Delaney, who played his first senior game for 2016 against Carlton, would get the job on two-time premiership spearhead Hawkins, while Sam Gilbert is likely to spend more time in defence.

“We do have preferred match-ups but fundamentally, our backs will defend as a unit,” Richardson told reporters at a press conference at Moorabbin on Friday.

“Delaney gets an opportunity. I thought he was really positive against [Levi] Casboult, who's as good a marking forward as there is in the game.

“He'll clearly be deeper (this weekend), and that's likely to be on Hawkins.

“Gilbert – we've played a bit more through the midfield this year – he'll need to go back.”

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Despite pushing Hawthorn all the way in Round 4 and narrowly losing to North Melbourne in Round 7, St Kilda hasn’t beaten a top-eight side this season.

Richardson admits a win against a premiership contender would fuel his side with the belief they can beat the best sides in the competition, something that has been lacking when the Saints have played quality opposition away from home.

“That's the excitement for us this week against the Cats, that we get the opportunity,” Richardson said.

“The two interstate teams, where we've had our poorest performances, pretty early on when that team has had momentum, we've fallen away from playing our way.

“There is the potential that if we get over the line against the Hawks in Tasmania or the Kangaroos, that there's possibly a little bit more belief from the group. 

“We've spoken about that. I think we've addressed that in terms of identifying what it is that happens to us when we fall away badly against those sorts of teams.”

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