The return of a big-bodied key defender tipped to play on Lance Franklin will bolster St Kilda in its clash with the Sydney Swans at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.

Former Magpie Nathan Brown will return from a knee injury to play his first match since Round 9 as the Swans and Saints meet for the annual Pride Game.

Brown tips the measuring tape at 196 centimetres and weighs in at 99 kilograms and is sure to attract plenty of eyeballs in his effort to quell Franklin’s impact.

Forward Josh Battle and midfielders Luke Dunstan and Nick Coffield will also return for the Saints in a sweep of four changes, while gun midfielder Sebastian Ross will assume the captaincy in absence of Jarryn Geary (calf).

Ross’ prolific ball-winning makes him one of St Kilda’s strongest weapons.

The 25-year-old enjoyed a breakout season in 2016 and last year earned All-Australian honours.

He ranks 10^th in the competition in most disposals per game (28) and last week tallied 32 touches, nine clearances and six inside 50s in his side’s gritty loss to the West Coast Eagles.

Josh Kennedy leads the Swans in their trademark pressure at the contest and Ross will be doing everything in his power to match Sydney’s skipper around the ball, although primary Swans tagger George Hewett could be tasked with shutting him out of the game.

Hewett played a lockdown role on star Carlton midfielder Patrick Cripps at the SCG last Friday and kept him to 17 possessions.

Former Swan Tim Membrey is another of the Saints’ biggest dangers and is charging towards Saturday off the back of a six-goal haul in his side’s match with the Eagles.

The 24-year-old bagged three of his six goals in the final stanza as the Saints ran in seven goals to the Eagles’ one in the final quarter.

As the Saints look to their next challenge in the Swans, St Kilda coach Alan Richardson says his side is wary of a difficult match-up.

“We’re just focused on what they’ve done this year and they’re playing some pretty good footy,” Richardson said.

“They’ve been a consistent team for such a long time.

“You can’t get away from the contest against Sydney. I don’t think they’ve lost it this year. Their ability to be able to win the footy and set up plays from congestion is elite and we’ll need to match that.”

The Saints sit in 16^th and have won one match and lost nine ahead of the Pride Game fixture, but Sydney coach John Longmire says his side isn’t looking beyond St Kilda’s inspired performance against West Coast last Saturday.

The Saints fell to a 13-point defeat but showed the high-quality football they’re able to produce in their seven-goal-to-one last term.

They were also brilliant on the stats sheet, topping disposals, clearances, inside 50s, contested possessions and tackles.

From the 215 times the Swans and Saints have met, Sydney holds a 135-77 advantage and the clubs have played out three draws.