Injured St Kilda full-forward Fraser Gehrig has almost conceded he has played his last AFL game, but has no regrets about re-launching his career in 2008.

Gehrig will be on the long-term injured list until round 16, but his arthritic hand is likely to prevent him playing again this season, given it will be too late in the season for him to regain his touch and then get a recall to a side vying for the finals.

The 32-year-old is philosophical that he will not be required again this season, having last played in round eight.

"You'd definitely need some (VFL) games under your belt, so it's highly unlikely," he said of a return to the AFL.

"It's a funny game and things can happen, but it's highly unlikely ... it wasn't as if I was setting the world on fire anyway, to be honest."

Gehrig's injury and limited impact in the five games he played this season - he booted nine goals from a combined 32 disposals and often failed to apply defensive pressure when not in possession - have rendered his comeback ineffectual.

But he said he had no regrets about playing this season after asking the Saints to re-draft him after he initially retired at the end of last season.

"Hindsight's a wonderful thing, but at the end of the day I've got no regrets," he said.

"It was always a goal that I wanted to play finals footy (again).

"I've never played in a premiership and that was the goal to come back, and that's not looking likely at this stage, but you've got to be in it to win it.

"That was the main reason I guess."

Although disappointed he was unlikely to play in the Saints' run home and any finals, Gehrig was comfortable with the thought he would not add to his career tally of 260 games and 549 goals.

"It's still disappointing that I won't be able to play on that last (Saturday) in September, but there's a lot of players that haven't had that and there's only a select few that get that opportunity," he said.

"It doesn't look likely for me, but there's still a lot of football left for the team."

St Kilda play Carlton on Friday night at the MCG, where the winner will take eighth spot and move a game clear of ninth, and Gehrig felt the Saints were still capable of pushing the top sides.

"When we play that up-tempo footy, one-on-one, we're still a pretty good side and on our day we can match it with anyone," he said.

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