St Kilda’s worrying AFL pre-season injury list continues to grow, with Seb Ross suffering what looks to be a serious hamstring injury.

He is the fifth Saint in the last few days to have a hamstring problem.

Ross was arguably best afield in Saturday’s 50-point NAB Challenge win over the makeshift Essendon team at Morwell before he hobbled off in the third term.

He ended the game with an ice pack high on the back of his left leg.

“We still need to get scans, but that looks like it’s reasonably serious, given he couldn’t run off the ground,” said coach Alan Richardson.

“Hopefully it’s good news.

“It was a fairly unique one, really – not unlike Juddy last year.”

Richardson was referring to Carlton star Chris Judd, who needed several weeks to recover from his hamstring injury last year.

Like Judd, Ross appeared to be pushed from behind as he went to kick the ball, causing the injury.

Fellow young gun Luke Dunstan was hobbling in the last term after suffering a corked leg, but Richardson was confident it is not so serious.

Jack Billings, Dylan Roberton and Shane Savage all sat out Saturday’s game because of hamstring problems.

Farren Ray will miss the first two months of the regular season because of an acute and unusual hamstring tendon injury that needed surgery.

And Daniel Markworth’s season is over because of a serious shoulder injury he suffered at training.

Referring to the spate of hamstring injuries, Richardson said he has full confidence in their conditioning department.

“The circumstances are quite unique,” he said.

“We’re certainly not overly concerned about it.”

On a brighter note, newcomers Hugh Goddard and Jack Lonie impressed in the win.

Goddard was strong in defence and Lonie kicked two last-term goals to help the Saints overrun Essendon.

“He basically blew the game away with the way he played – that was really exciting,” Richardson said of Lonie.