ST KILDA lost its second key defender in a week last night, with Max Hudghton injuring a quadriceps muscle in the first quarter of his side's demoralising 53-point loss to Brisbane at the Gabba.

With Matt Maguire already out for an estimated six weeks with a foot injury received last weekend, the Saints' defensive stocks are now dramatically depleted only a fortnight into a season that began with such promise. Sam Fisher, who minded the intimidating Lion Jonathan Brown last night, is suddenly the club's No. 1 man in the back line.

Hudghton got through only 21 minutes of his first run in the seniors for the year, just four days after he crammed in some late match practice in the VFL. The Saints decided to leave the 30-year-old out of their round-one match against Melbourne last Friday night, preferring to give him one more VFL match to complete his rehabilitation from a groin complaint.

But after lining up on young Lion Joel Patfull, Hudghton took himself from the field before the first term was complete. After being assessed by doctors, the defender watched the rest of the match from the sidelines.

But the Saints also had big problems in attack last night, with Fraser Gehrig held goalless and Justin Koschitzke and Aaron Fiora their side's only multiple goalkickers, with two apiece.

In the absence of Hudghton, St Kilda had to reshuffle its defence. Fisher remained on Brown, Jason Gram stuck with Justin Sherman and Leigh Fisher minded Chris Johnson. But Brendon Goddard was switched into the back line for the second term, which proved costly for the Saints, who managed only one goal for that quarter. By the third term, Goddard was back in attack, flanking Koschitzke and Gehrig and, for periods, Xavier Clarke and Fiora both spent time in defence.

The Saints got to within 16 points after Leigh Montagna goaled midway through the third term, but the Lions, through Johnson, Brown and Sherman, kicked the next three majors, which gave the home side a 35-point advantage at the last change. It became an uninterrupted six-goal run when Brown nailed his fifth goal early in the final quarter.

St Kilda left Luke Ball out last night, deciding to give its co-captain and battering ram nine more days of rest after his latest head clash.

In the lead-up to the game, coach Ross Lyon had played down the severity and frequency of the midfielder's head high bumps. But, despite training in a protective helmet in the days after his nasty clash with Demon Matthew Whelan, Ball did not make a promised late appearance.

He required 13 stitches in his head after his run-in with Whelan last Friday night. And while he played out the second half of the match against the Demons, his condition had deteriorated severely by Saturday afternoon.

Brisbane also made two significant late changes, with neither star midfielder Nigel Lappin (thigh) nor tall defender Jason Roe (hamstring) passing their match-day fitness tests. Wayde Mills and Marcus Allan — with a combined experience of five games — were brought in.

Former Western Bulldog Shane Birss replaced Ball for his first run in St Kilda colours.

Before the match, former Brisbane captain Michael Voss walked a lap of honour around the Gabba before a crowd of 28,266 after being awarded AFL life membership by league chief Andrew Demetriou.

St Kilda next faces the Bulldogs tomorrow week, while Brisbane will travel to Sydney on Sunday week.