NICK Dal Santo's time in the Saints' sin-bin will last just a week with the midfielder likely to come back into the side to play North Melbourne on the Gold Coast this week.

Forward Stephen Milne, who was similarly exiled to the VFL side and who kicked four goals while collecting 23 touches for Casey, is unlikely, however, to be brought back into the senior team.

Dal Santo, dropped for failing to work as hard when he doesn't have the ball, is likely to replace Lenny Hayes, who is struggling with back related hamstring tightness.

Hayes is understood to be confident he will be fit for Saturday night's game, but, having been forced to the bench for three quarters of last week's match against Fremantle — after a stunning 16 touches in the first quarter — it would appear optimistic.

Should Hayes be able to do as Robert Harvey did a fortnight ago and recover his fitness when it seemed certain he would miss then it would seem Jarryn Geary's place in the side would be vulnerable.

The St Kilda match committee will meet today to discuss the possible changes in detail but it would appear that all three debutants last week — Jarryd Allen, Robert Eddy and Ben McEvoy — did enough to retain their selections.

Having won the game, coach Ross Lyon could be supported in feeling some vindication for taking his hard-line on Dal Santo and Milne, despite the unattractive contest and unimpressive manner of the win over the flakey Fremantle.

And Dal Santo, for his part, cannot return and feel comfortable that normal service would resume unless his on-field efforts are improved. That now goes for Dal Santo and any other senior St Kilda players.