St Kilda made light of the absence of a host of stars to upset a near full-strength and pumped-up Richmond in their Round 1 NAB Cup clash at Telstra Dome on Friday night.

Coming off a low-key pre-season but primed for a winning start to 2008, the Tigers were no match for the Saints who were harder, cleaner and more efficient, leading throughout before prevailing by 40 points - 1.15.12 (111) to 2.7.11 (71).

Stephen Milne and Fraser Gehrig were the Saints' major goal-scorers with three apiece, while Brett Deledio and Nathan Brown bagged two each for the Tigers.

Former Geelong forward Charlie Gardiner showed he could be a handy acquisition for the Saints as a mobile, leading forward.

Given the kind of brief that Nick Riewoldt would normally fill roaming wide and upfield, the 24-year-old collected a team-high 21 possessions and 10 marks for one goal, and his work off the ball was every bit as effective.

Riewoldt was St Kilda's highest-profile absentee but the champion forward was in good company with Brendon Goddard, Jason Gram, Lenny Hayes, Luke Ball, Matt Maguire, Sam Gilbert and former Sydney forward, Adam Schneider all among the missing on the night.

Given a run in their stead, the likes of defenders Jarryn Geary (17 disposals and three marks), Luke Miles (11-6), midfielder Robert Eddy (13-2) and forward Jarryd Allen (two goals), did little wrong.

The ruck battles were hardly decisive, but the Saints will be pleased that former Eagle Michael Gardiner made it safely through in his first competitive start for the club, while Steven King, after a quiet start, finished the match in similar style to his last outing, last year's grand final, on top.

Coming off a horror 2007 cut short by a blood clot on the lung, Troy Simmonds, who rotated with Adam Pattison and Tristan Cartledge, will be better for the run.

For the Tigers, Nathan Foley (23 disposals) and Shane Tuck (22) won plenty of the ball but the Richmond midfield generally lacked bite, though Matthew Richardson battled hard as usual.

Former Bulldog Jordan McMahon was reasonably effective in a tagging role on Nick Dal Santo, while ex-Eagle Mitch Morton looked more at home as the match wore on, picking up a late goal to add to his eight possessions.

Next up, the Saints take on the winner of Saturday's Skilled Stadium clash between Geelong and Melbourne.

In his final match, veteran umpire Darren Goldspink was conspicuous by his professionalism.

ST KILDA: 0.4.1, 1.7.5, 1.11.9, 1.15.12 (111)
RICHMOND: 0.3.2, 0.4,4, 2.6.7, 2.7.11 (71)

SUPERGOALS: St Kilda: Montagna
Richmond: Tivendale, Newman
GOALS: St Kilda: Milne 3, Gehrig 3, Koschitzke 2, Allen 2, Eddy, X.Clarke, Armitage, Birss, C.Gardiner
Richmond: Deledio 2, Brown 2, Richardson, Pettifer, Morton
BEST: St Kilda: S.Fisher, X.Clarke, C.Gardiner, King, Geary, C.Jones, Harvey
Richmond: Richardson, Tuck, Newman, Pettifer, Bowden, Brown
INJURIES: St Kilda: Nil
Richmond: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
UMPIRES: Goldspink, Kennedy, Keating
CROWD: 23,329 at Telstra Dome