Lloyd has been overlooked for Friday night's clash with St Kilda at Etihad Stadium despite racking up 37 disposals and a goal in the latest of several strong VFL performances.

The 28-year-old played every game for the Tigers in 2016 but was left out of their premiership side last year and has made just five appearances this season.

Rookie forward Tyson Stengle has also missed out on a senior berth after booting six goals in the VFL over the weekend.

The ladder-leaders instead recalled defender Nathan Broad, who made a quicker-than-expected recovery from a fractured cheekbone, along with Kamdyn McIntosh and Connor Menadue.

Bachar Houli will sit out with groin soreness while Shai Bolton and Corey Ellis have been omitted.

Hardwick on Thursday said the Tigers' abundance of quality midfield and forward options had left Lloyd and Stengle waiting in the wings.

"He's always close, Sam," Hardwick said.

"The way he plays the game. he's a really dominant VFL player and he's a really good AFL player too.

"The hard job as an AFL coach is trying to get the side to complement each other and Sam is one of the players, probably in the vast majority of sides he's playing at the moment but unfortunately we've got a number of those players that are playing his position.

"Tyson is very much in a similar vein to Sam, so they're making my job incredibly hard."

The Tigers will start firm favourites against the 15th-placed Saints in the third annual Maddie's Match to raise awareness of bone marrow failure syndrome.

Maddie Riewoldt, the younger sister of Saints great Nick and cousin of Richmond forward Jack, died in 2015 aged 26.

Australian Associated Press