Are We There Yet?

[Fehring]

I'm pretty keen for us to win a flag this year, but I have a more pressing issue: are we getting closer to becoming a powerhouse? Consecutive million dollar plus profits, a solid membership base (hopefully still growing), a full complement of rookies (the only Melbourne team I think), the redevelopment scheduled for Moorabbin and - finally - a decent football department. Is this all as good as it sounds, or are we still vulnerable as soon as our team drops off? I figure there are saints fans out there who would have a better idea about this than me.

 

[Rough_Edges]

It's time...

If we have a fit team on the park, I know every team gets injuries but we are a bit injury prone some would say, last year it was all un-lucky injuries not many soft tissue injuries.

I have a good feeling, no doubt.

 

[demon_chick27]

well if it cant be melbourne who win a flag i hope it is u guys! dunno if ur gonna do it this year but ill be happy if u do...unless u beat us in the granny of course!

 

[Kildonan]

I'm pretty keen for us to win a flag this year, but I have a more pressing issue: are we getting closer to becoming a powerhouse? Consecutive million dollar plus profits, a solid membership base (hopefully still growing), a full complement of rookies (the only Melbourne team I think), the redevelopment scheduled for Moorabbin and - finally - a decent football department. Is this all as good as it sounds, or are we still vulnerable as soon as our team drops off? I figure there are saints fans out there who would have a better idea about this than me.

Are we getting closer to becoming a powerhouse?

St Kilda as a club is probably being run the most professionally it ever has.
The structure of the club has improved dramatically over the last 5 - 10 years. We have restructured whist improving on the field. We were widely ridiculed as a joke of a club, possibly the least professional club in the VFL, and to an extent that continued to be true in the AFL as well. Our poor on-field performances contributed to our poor off-field performances which restricted our ability to catch up to the other clubs. It was a cycle to which there seemed no escape. ...and like an object caught in the gravitational effect of a black hole we were orbiting, but every orbit brought us closer to annihilation.

What went right for us?

The AFL brought in the equalisation processes.
It was obvious that left purely to "market forces" the AFL would self destruct. The AFL began to protect poorer teams from being strip-mined of their talent by the richer clubs. There was a more equitable distribution of the profits and a salary cap to ensure that wealthy clubs could not simply buy success and perpetuate that financial superiority. Also the adoption of a draft system where draftees are given in reverse ladder order helped.

The Plympton era left us replete with money (a rare event in our history) and in 2000 / 01 the incoming board and President were heavily motivated to succeed. The existing feeling was that two Vic teams were about to go the way of the dodo. Butterss and the board were determined to ensure that St Kilda wouldn't be one of those teams.

The Blight era turned out to be a very short one, but it opened eyes to the real inequity between our club's facilities versus the newer interstate clubs. We traded extremely well and adopted a policy of youth - developing our own highly rated recruits.

The Thomas era saw us achieve what is currently standing as the second best era in our history. (Sadly). Grant Thomas was our second longest serving coach. It probably is no coincidence that our best era coresponds with our longest serving coach. The stability has been a factor in our improvement. The stability in our board and President has also seen a "golden era" for our club. Described by Fehring as "Consecutive million dollar plus profits, a solid membership base (hopefully still growing), a full complement of rookies (the only Melbourne team I think), the redevelopment scheduled for Moorabbin and - finally - a decent football department."

It is all good - but these things do not make us a powerhouse. If anything, these things make our continued existence more likely. We are immeasurably better off than we were at the end of the 20th century - that is for sure. We are no longer touted as the club most likely to dissolve. Nor are we the butt of AFL jokes and barbs any more. The Butterss / Thomas era has seen us safe but the work continues.

There is not a level playing field. The interstate clubs have a huge financial advantage. Their structure has been in place for some time while we have only just set ours up. We have also fallen behind the powerhouse Vic clubs especially Collingwood and Essendon - we are ten years behind Collingwood at least. The good news is that we are catching up rather than falling further behind. This may not continue indefinitely, so let's make hay while the sun shines.

Powerhouse we may not yet be, but we are no longer the worst club, no longer the most vulnerable, and I am afraid that will have to do for the time being. Our next step towards that goal will be when we hold the premiership cup for all to see - that day will issue a warning to other clubs - because it may herald the era that defines our club. A great and golden era thats makes a mockery of the '66 era. Sustained success like we have craved since the beginning.

 

[sainter]

We're in a very good state but still have some way to go.

Our attendances are right up there with the biggest teams but we need to increase our membership from 32,000 to at least 35,000 and up to 40,000.

It's either 4 or 5 consecutive million dollar profits that we've posted which is an outstanding result but we do that with one of the smallest turnovers in the league. As we continue to grow we'll hopefully continue to increase our turnover whilst maintaining large profits.

Our critics will point to the fact that our turnaround in off-field fortunes has been done at a time while we are performing on the field. The real challenge will come when the club finishes towards the bottom of the table. Hopefully that's not something we'll experience for a few years yet.

 

[Fehring]

Are we getting closer to becoming a powerhouse?
The existing feeling was that two Vic teams were about to go the way of the dodo. Butterss and the board were determined to ensure that St Kilda wouldn't be one of those teams.
......Powerhouse we may not yet be, but we are no longer the worst club, no longer the most vulnerable, and I am afraid that will have to do for the time being. .

Thanks for the fantastic review as always. The quotes above lead me to a confession: I stood behind the goals at Moorabbin as a boy and watched us get flogged every week, believing that this could be our last season. Now that we are no longer the weakest, I see our future as being strongest if a couple of Melbourne clubs go (ie relocate). I feel guilty for saying it, because I know what it's like to follow a patsy, but I really feel it's the only way that any of us (Collingwood and Collingwood aside) will ever be able to compete over sustained periods.

 

[sainter]

Fehring,

Just interested in knowing why you think having 2 less Victorian teams would benefit us?

 

[Fehring]

Fehring,

Just interested in knowing why you think having 2 less Victorian teams would benefit us?

It just seems that we're slicing the pie too thinly and a few less teams will make it easier for the rest of us in terms of sponsorship and, a generation down the track, supporters (current supporters probably won't jump ship, but most kiddies will want to support a team in their home town).

Why 2? Because I think there are two clubs in Melbourne that I frankly don't think would be greatly missed, but I'm reluctant to name names because I don't feel like getting vilified.