St Kilda defender Zac Dawson will get the chance to help hammer the lid shut on the AFL premiership defence of the club that rejected him.

Saints coach Ross Lyon says Dawson, who has missed the Saints' past two matches through suspension, will almost certainly return to take on his former club Hawthorn in Launceston on Saturday.

It will be his first meeting with the Hawks, with whom he played 14 matches from 2005, but was unable to break into their team at all last year before being discarded at the end of the club's premiership season.

Since joining the Saints, he played every match until his two-game ban, becoming a key part of a defence that has formed the backbone of their unbeaten run.

"I'd be very surprised if Zac doesn't come in, I'm tipping he'll want to play against the Hawks," Lyon said on Tuesday.

"He'll give us some inside knowledge no doubt, but he's been a great acquisition to our club."

But Lyon doubted the Hawks would begrudge Dawson his success.

"If you can't get a game at (one) club sometimes you've got to move them on for their own good and it's a win-win for the club, so it's certainly been the case here," he said.

Dawson's return and the likely availability of fellow defender Sam Gilbert after a back injury gives the Saints a wealth of backline options.

Dawson was replaced during his suspension by Max Hudghton, who was returning from injury, with the veteran also likely to keep his place in the side.

Lyon said the Saints would need defensive depth to curtail Hawks star forward Lance Franklin, who has been in impressive recent form, although he was inaccurate with 2.7 against Port Adelaide last round.

"If his radar's on it could be a frightening experience for our backmen," Lyon said.

"But we feel we defend and team defend pretty well and we're able to put him under some pressure."

Lyon said ruckman Michael Gardiner was likely to be ready to return from a calf strain, while fellow big man Steven King could keep his spot despite having a shoulder pop out in a collision last round.

Midfielder Leigh Montagna is in some doubt with soreness.

Lyon said the Saints would not take any risks with injured players at this stage of the season.

"We're in a position to be more conservative as opposed to aggressive, so that's probably the overriding philosophy," he said.

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