Ben King has been backed to snap out of his mini-slump as Gold Coast seek a response in their first game since the sacking of coach Stuart Dew.
Assistant Steven King will coach the team against St Kilda in round 18 after Dew was axed on Tuesday with a season still to run on his AFL contract.
At 7-9 the Suns are just one win and percentage outside the top eight but are likely to need six wins from their last seven games to qualify for a maiden finals berth.
King - a premiership player at Geelong and assistant coach when the Western Bulldogs won the grand final in 2016 - has labelled the clash against the fifth-placed Saints as "must-win"; but not for its potential effect on the ladder.
"Not when it comes to finals, this is a must-win just in regards to how we respond," he said.
"Players will have different responses (to Dew's departure).
"So we allow them to express their feelings, but just get them excited about being back at footy. That's what we all love doing and why we're here.
"Their attitudes were all positive; you could tell they were up for it."
Those players include key forward King, whose fine return from a season-long knee injury has hit a snag.
After kicking at least a goal in his first 14 games - and multiple goals in 10 of them - King hasn't registered a major in his last two appearances.
Against Port Adelaide he was substituted in the second half with just one ineffective disposal.
"He's a resilient young man, gone through a lot," King said of his namesake.
"His attitude's been amazing and he's been amazing on the track.
"He's trained well, is a proud young man who's coming back from a significant injury and I've got full confidence."
Miller returned from his own knee injury last week but had his minutes capped, a scenario unlikely to be repeated at Heritage Bank Stadium on Saturday.
"Touk can be unleashed in a more normal capacity," King said.
Running defender Lachie Weller (knee soreness) will miss the game, while Elijah Hollands been named for the first time since round four.
Josh Battle comes back from concussion and Brad Hill from a knee injury for the Saints, who will debut Jack Peris, the son of Olympic hockey champion and Commonwealth Games athletics gold medallist Nova.
