Saints coach Adam Dowie says Saturday’s experiment of playing defender Chris McLaren in attack could be more than a one-off.

McLaren, who kicked 1.4, was dangerous for the Saints alongside star forward Sam Dobson, who slotted six goals in their 68-point win against Terang Mortlake.

A week after the Saints failed to kick a goal until the 22nd minute mark of the third quarter of their season opener, Dowie said  McLaren’s contribution to the side’s vastly-improved forward line performance could not be underestimated.

“Sam Dobson is the focal point but when Chris plays forward the forward line structures up well … better, with him,” he said.

“Chris just looks to me to be a natural forward. He knows where to run, when to run. He’s very good at using his body and he gets into the right spots.

“He kicked 1.4. It could have been 4.1. He is a dangerous forward and not only with the offensive side of the game but defence. 

“His tackling, his pressure. You know about it if you get tackled by him.”

McLaren’s shift to the forward line was more out of necessity on Saturday. 

He also played in the forward line in last year’s grand final when he went into the game with limited mobility  because of a quad tear. 

That day he kicked the opening goal of the match — his first major in 25 matches. Dowie said the hard-running defender was being eased into the season.

“It was probably an earlier start than we were planning with Chris but with Tocka (Simon O’Keefe), James North (both injured) and the two boys (Nick Hausler and Willem Drew) away at the Rebels, we thought we needed him out there and our forward line looked much better,” he said.

McLaren played down his role but acknowledged his injury-riddled 2014 meant he needed to attack the season differently.

He said he was planning on a delayed start to the year with the hope of peaking late in the season. 

It also meant he could focus on his role as Hampden interleague coach.

“I will be battling to get through a full year, I have for a while. I did my calf twice and quad last year,” he said.

Like any defender, McLaren said he enjoyed the forward line.

“I enjoy the challenge,” he said.

“We are a pretty young and quiet side so when I go down there it might be a bit of set-up stuff I do, telling blokes where to go.

“It’s a good challenge for me. Whether it continues, we’ll have to wait and see.”

The return of Ben Dobson from the Geelong league has also helped McLaren. 

Dobson, a noted forward and midfielder, has played in the midfield and loose in defence in the opening two matches of the season to great effect.