News St Kilda to field standalone VFL team in 2026

[austinnn]

I reckon BJ would be very lucky if he's still coaching at Moorabbin next season. That's not to say he won't, just that he'll be very lucky to keep his job or any coaching job. I'm not so sure Bachelor wasn't better. Think BJ should go and do the course and start with an ammos team or something, do it properly. We should get someone a bit more proven.

When was the last time we had a VFL coach with decent results? Simon McPhee?

 

[The Jack]

When was the last time we had a VFL coach with decent results? Simon McPhee?

When was the last time we had a competitive VFL list? Chicken/Egg.

 

[Leigh58]

I reckon BJ would be very lucky if he's still coaching at Moorabbin next season. That's not to say he won't, just that he'll be very lucky to keep his job or any coaching job. I'm not so sure Bachelor wasn't better. Think BJ should go and do the course and start with an ammos team or something, do it properly. We should get someone a bit more proven.

When was the last time we had a VFL coach with decent results? Simon McPhee?

Paul Hudson was a good coach with some decent results.

 

[sasaint]

Recruiting the coach and players for the VFL team will b e critical. But starting with what players drop off AFL lists at the end of the year will be an great starting point. The first year after being dropped is a bit of a twilight zone for many players so dropping straight into a VFL role is a good bridge to life after AFL footy. We need leaders to help develop the kids. RSEA park will be very attractive to lots of players because of location and facilities. Also the Saints administration is starting to get a good reputation of being a bit more stable and focused than previous admins. Future looking bright.

 

[sammm]

be great to get along to games at RSEA see them play in our colours

I'll come down to RSEA park

 

[Diehard Saint]

Recruiting the coach and players for the VFL team will b e critical. But starting with what players drop off AFL lists at the end of the year will be an great starting point. The first year after being dropped is a bit of a twilight zone for many players so dropping straight into a VFL role is a good bridge to life after AFL footy. We need leaders to help develop the kids. RSEA park will be very attractive to lots of players because of location and facilities. Also the Saints administration is starting to get a good reputation of being a bit more stable and focused than previous admins. Future looking bright.

SO how does the funding for this standalone team work?
Is it all Saints funded - ie player salaries etc and is there also a salary cap for VFL?

 

[gringo2011]

I reckon BJ would be very lucky if he's still coaching at Moorabbin next season. That's not to say he won't, just that he'll be very lucky to keep his job or any coaching job. I'm not so sure Bachelor wasn't better. Think BJ should go and do the course and start with an ammos team or something, do it properly. We should get someone a bit more proven.

When was the last time we had a VFL coach with decent results? Simon McPhee?

This Sandy side is super young and inexperienced and most of the St Kilda guys dropping back are kids too. Hard to get any read on his coaching from this lot.

 

[chris_h_11]

I remember seeing somewhere that the VFL lists for the AFL clubs have almost no salary cap to work with, and the stand alone clubs have a lot more room to move. I think it's naive to think we're gonna come along and poach a bunch of the Frankston guys. or be a big player with AFL delistees, or anything like that. It's gonna take a while to build a list and see some success.

I hope list management was considered in the "due diligence" stage, with at least a general plan of how we're gonna fill a side very week, without taking the Sandy approach of letting the other teams fill their lists first, and take whatever kids are left over....

 

[Significant]

Is the intent that both Saints and Sandy would remain in the VFL program? If not (and pardon my naivety, but I can't see Sandy making inroads to do this with any success), doesn't it stand to reason that the more successful current VFL-aligned kids might transition across to our VFL program (assuming we see merit in their future!)?

 

[Ads734]

Moorabin in my unbiased opionion is just about the best place to watch VFL football. Ground is large enough , has a stand and is in a decent location.

Compared to like Victoria park , run down , box hill , rundown

TBBO and Willy are nice but too small and close to the beach and winds.

 

[austinnn]

Is the intent that both Saints and Sandy would remain in the VFL program? If not (and pardon my naivety, but I can't see Sandy making inroads to do this with any success), doesn't it stand to reason that the more successful current VFL-aligned kids might transition across to our VFL program (assuming we see merit in their future!)?

I was wondering about this. Does this mean we automatically join the VFL, we don't have to get accepted or anything? Also, it means that - assuming Sandringham remains - the VFL now has one more team and has to change its structure, regarding fixturing etc?

It's great for us, but I wonder how the VFL, and the other teams within, feel about that.

 

[StFly]

I was wondering about this. Does this mean we automatically join the VFL, we don't have to get accepted or anything? Also, it means that - assuming Sandringham remains - the VFL now has one more team and has to change its structure, regarding fixturing etc?

It's great for us, but I wonder how the VFL, and the other teams within, feel about that.

The current scuttle is;

AFL stand alone div1.
Suburb based div2.
Combine winners for finals.

But nothing iron clad just that license is granted at present.

 

[chris_h_11]

Is the intent that both Saints and Sandy would remain in the VFL program? If not (and pardon my naivety, but I can't see Sandy making inroads to do this with any success), doesn't it stand to reason that the more successful current VFL-aligned kids might transition across to our VFL program (assuming we see merit in their future!)?

The announcement was made by the AFL, that St Kilda had been granted a VFL licence, and Sandringham would continue in the competition on their own.

In theory, 22 teams should make fixturing etc easier, but the complication comes with Tasmania trying to field a side next year as well.

 

[The Jack]

Will the first Saints V Zebs VFL game be an absolute bloodbath, grudge match?

 

[Jade Buddha]

Pretty exciting really. I’m old enough to remember going to Moorabbin to see ressies and main course.

 

[CursingFijian]

Another good example of the mindset of not walking past anything that needs fixing.

 

[HitTheBoundary]

Will the first Saints V Zebs VFL game be an absolute bloodbath, grudge match?

 

[thekizzler]

The announcement was made by the AFL, that St Kilda had been granted a VFL licence, and Sandringham would continue in the competition on their own.

In theory, 22 teams should make fixturing etc easier, but the complication comes with Tasmania trying to field a side next year as well.

Still a joke of a competition where teams don't even play every other team once.

Needs to be fixed if it's going to be anything other than a glorified development league. And at the moment, with three byes a year, it's struggling to serve that purpose all the time.

 

[Dr Spaceman]

There are a lot of reasons for wanting a stand-alone team. Player development, coach development and supporter engagement being amongst them.

It can help foster a whole team approach.

However I also think having us aligned with Sandringham, playing under their name, in their colours and at their ground reinforces, consciously or subconsciously, that we are a struggling, unsuccessful pauper club. Hawthorn and Melbourne can get away with it, not just because they have a bigger imprint on their Box Hill and Casey alignments, but because they are historically seen as successful clubs.

One flag and massive debt are usually the first two things people associate with St Kilda.

If a struggling club such as North can have a standalone VFL club then surely we must have one.

It is just another thing we need to correct to help us attract talent.

So well done Andrew and the team. Another box ticked

 

[Saintos The ITK]

Paul Hudson was a good coach with some decent results.

And the best write ups.

 

[Leigh58]

And the best write ups.

And I used to see his dad Peter during those years at the Sandy ground as well.
One of the most uncanny footballers & goal kickers I have ever seen.

Huddo had a stint with Kenny Sheldon at the Saints and helped Buckets to become a much better kick.

 

[saint66au]

Heres a thought. Start the VFL season the same week as the AFL season, not 3 weeks afterwards and dont give every team 4 byes.

 

[SaintsofSteel]

The current scuttle is;

AFL stand alone div1.
Suburb based div2.
Combine winners for finals.

But nothing iron clad just that license is granted at present.

It would be great to maintain an AFL & VFL club alignment in fixturing throughout the year.

It would allow the programming of VFL games to be more beneficial for the clubs eg AFL Saints vs Bombers Saturday VFL Sunday.

The weeks we play WA & SA teams have those 6-8 games added as playing a club a 3rd time eg AFL Crows vs Saints & Port vs Carlton. VFL = Saints vs Carlton.

Finals could simply be GF winner in each conference playoff. The stand alone clubs might not be so happy but it would be great for the AFL clubs continuity.

Plus I for one would be making the trip south a lot more, being guaranteed to be able to watch both teams over a weekend.

 

[Anythings_sipposible]

You just know the AFL is going to take 30 years to just re-do reserves again.

Should never have stopped. Would have been a great way to introduce GWS and Gold Coast as well, and build the game in the northern states in a structured way that fed new kids in to the system without compromising the draft in the same way.

But here we are, 26(?) years later, and some doosh is going to pat themselves on the back when they re-introduce something that some other, older doosh decided to dismantle.

 

[bergholt]

Heres a thought. Start the VFL season the same week as the AFL season, not 3 weeks afterwards and dont give every team 4 byes.

All too expensive. Every VFL game loses money, more so now that it's a multi-state competition. The more games you have, the more money the comp loses.