St Kilda coach Alan Richardson has urged the AFL to consider the pre-season needs of his team as the league negotiates with Essendon over its participation in the NAB Challenge.

The Saints kick off the pre-season competition with a hitout against the Brisbane Lions on Saturday, February 28, then are set to face the Bombers in Morwell a week later.

But with doubt continuing to surround the fates of 18 Essendon players provisionally suspended over the club’s 2012 supplements program, the Bombers are no certainties to field a team for their pre-season opener against St Kilda if a deal can’t be struck.

“We just hope that the decision that’s ultimately made takes into account that it’s a pretty significant game for us … it’s not just about one club it’s about a couple of clubs,” Richardson said on Tuesday.

“But we’re really confident that we’re going to end up with an opposition that befits our needs from a preparation point of view.

“If it’s the Bombers – and we hope that’s the case – (great) but if not we’ll do our best.”

Regardless of the opposition, Richardson said his club remained committed to playing in the country town situated about 150km east of Melbourne.

“There have been tickets sold and it’s the right thing to do to go up there irrespective of what the game ends up looking like,” he said.

“We want it to be a really stiff opposition so we can get as good a preparation as we can.”

If Essendon doesn’t take part in the match, it won’t be the first time the club has affected St Kilda’s pre-season preparation, with the Saints forced to play an internal trial in Wangaratta in 2012 when the Bombers’ charter aircraft were unable to land due to inclement weather.

“It affected us quite dramatically, talking to the guys that were around then,” football manager Jamie Cox said.

“We can’t afford to have that again so we need a game.”

The Bombers are also due to meet GWS and Melbourne in this year’s NAB Challenge.