ST KILDA recruit Nathan Freeman will play for the Sandringham reserves on Saturday as he steps up his recovery from hamstring injuries.

Freeman, who was repeatedly sidelined in his two years at Collingwood, strained his right hamstring again in December during his first summer with the Saints.

The 20-year-old did not feature in the NAB Challenge, but with just over a month of full training under his belt, will play in his first competitive match of the year against the Box Hill Hawks reserves.

He will be joined in the team by another senior-listed Saint in Brandon White, who was selected with pick No.40 in last year's draft, while rookies Josh Saunders and Nick Coughlan will also feature in the clash at at Box Hill City Oval.

Recruited with pick No.10 at the 2013 NAB AFL Draft, Freeman left the Magpies in search of a fresh start, partly due to the fitness troubles he had suffered at the Holden Centre.

The Saints traded a future second-round pick for the speedy midfielder.