St Kilda have turned to round-one opponents Geelong to give them an attacking edge for the 2011 AFL season.

The Saints have snared the Cats' vastly experienced skills and development coach Dave Wheadon, who joined the club last week.

Wheadon spent the past four seasons with Geelong and was involved in their 2009 grand final triumph over St Kilda.

He has also worked with Carlton, Essendon, Collingwood and Richmond during a 25-year career.

"He was really instrumental in helping with their ball use so that was part of a co-ordinated plan with us, another resource to help us with the attacking side of our game," Lyon said on Monday before training.

"His run and carry expertise and scoring expertise is renowned throughout football and he's a great appointment for our football club."

The Saints also poached assistant coach Leigh Tudor from the Cats a couple of years ago, although he has since moved on to a similar position with Sydney.

In other news, injury-prone ruck-forward Justin Koschitzke could be a surprise starter in St Kilda's line-up for Friday night's MCG clash with Geelong.

Koschitzke was expected to miss the opening few rounds after undergoing off-season ankle surgery, but he has impressed Lyon with his recovery.

"He's a slim chance, although unlikely," Lyon said.

"He's done full training the last week or so and he'll train fully this week.

"It would be a bit out of left field but I haven't totally discounted it."

He said that he and fitness boss Dave Misson were "butting heads" over the timing of Koschitzke's return.

Injured ruckman Michael Gardiner (knee) and the suspended Adam Schneider are unavailable.

But Sam Fisher, who suffered a cheekbone injury during the pre-season as well a head cut when he was leaving a Melbourne night club, is a certainty.

Lyon said he wasn't expecting a drastically different Cats outfit despite the appointment of new coach Chris Scott and the departure of Brownlow Medallist Gary Ablett.

"There might be a slight modification in ball use against press teams and maybe a slight adjustment pressing a little bit more themselves," he said.

"Fundamentally they've got a great confidence in themselves, as have we.

"We really believe in ourselves and we've been up around the mark for a couple of years but we all start equal."

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