Remove this Banner Ad

News St Kilda to field standalone VFL team in 2026

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

Anythings_sipposible said:
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.
Click to expand...
It’s the circle of life! 🤦🏼‍♂️
 
thekizzler said:
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.
Click to expand...
Get both Power and Crows to pull out of SANFL and play in VFL, and divide the comp into 2 divisions
How that would be determined I am not sure
 

Log in to remove this Banner Ad

St Kilda’s decision to launch a standalone VFL team in 2026 marks a pivotal step in shaping the club’s future.

AFL-aligned VFL teams operate under a $110,000 salary cap, while standalone clubs are allowed to spend up to $220,000. On paper, this might appear to disadvantage the Saints, but match payments aren’t everything at this level. The best VFL players, often recently delisted AFL talent, are typically drawn to clubs through job opportunities.

That’s where St Kilda may hold a unique edge. President Andrew Bassat also is chairman of SEEK, Australia’s largest employment platform. If used strategically, that connection could help secure elite semi-professional talent and give the club a potential recruiting advantage.

To build a strong list, St Kilda will need players willing to accept below-market payments. Many already do so, choosing the VFL over better-paid country or suburban leagues. But who will make that sacrifice? Players who are emotionally invested in the red, white and black, such as Saints fans growing up, sons of former players and Academy graduates.

I’ve assumed there will be a gentlemen’s agreement with Sandringham not to poach their players. The only exception is Elwood Peckett, as he is the son of a former player.

I’m also think that NGA eligibility will be extended beyond the current 18 and 19-year-old limit, potentially up to 23. This is a proposal put forward this year by several clubs, including St Kilda and more influential voices like Geelong.

The five recruitment categories

Category 1: Saints supporters growing up from VFL, Coates League or AFL

• Eddie Ford (turns 24 in 2026) – North Melbourne AFL. 184cm forward. Has shown glimpses across 40 AFL games but remains out of contract at season’s end.

• Darcy Tucker (29) – North Melbourne AFL. 184cm wingman with over 150 AFL games. Possibly surplus to requirements as North looks to the future.

• Blake Coleman (24) – Williamstown. 182cm forward. Brother of Brisbane’s Kiddy Coleman. Has kicked bags of five and three in the VFL this year.

• Mitchell Stevens (19) – Gippsland Power. 185cm mid/defender. Adelaide father-son prospect who supports the Saints. Averages 17 disposals in Coates League. VFL option if not drafted.

• Tyson Gresham (19) – Northern Knights. 169cm small forward/mid. Brother of Jade. NGA-eligible for Carlton. A solid season but dropped from Vic Metro after one match.

Category 2: Sons of former players

• James Sziller (28) – St Paul’s McKinnon. Inside mid. Played VFL from 2017 to 2019. Now St Paul’s captain, so extraction may be tough.

• Sam Loewe (26) – Old Haileybury. Former Sandringham VFL player and class forward at VAFA level.

• Tyson Milne (25) – Frankston. 184cm defender averaging 19 touches across five VFL seasons.

• Jackson Voss (24) – Frankston. 180cm running defender. Genuine gun, currently seventh in the VFL Coaches Award. Priority signing.

• Josh Hudghton (22) – Bright. Talented but injury-prone forward. Trained with Port Melbourne pre-season.

• Max Knobel (22) – Gold Coast. 206cm ruck. Out of contract. As Trent Knobel’s son, could have a soft spot for the Saints.

• Parker Heatley (21) – North Heidelberg. 185cm forward. Kicked 60 goals in 2024 to lead the Northern Football League.

• Boston Everitt (20) – Balwyn. 184cm forward. Yet to play in 2025 after finishing last year in reserves. Needs development but has a family connection.

Category 3: Brothers of current players

• Tomoya Owens (24) – Frankston. Utility with three seasons of VFL experience at Sandringham and Frankston.

• Kai Owens (26) – Mornington. Inside mid who placed second in Frankston’s best and fairest in 2023. Was considered draftable after that season.

• Thomson Dow (25) – Richmond. 184cm midfielder. 45 AFL games. Out of contract. May look to join brother Paddy.

• Finlay Macrae (24) – Collingwood. 188cm midfielder. Pick 19 in 2020. Just 21 AFL games and none this year.

Category 4: NGA alumni

• Scott Bielby (22) – Collegians. 186cm intercept defender. Former Sandy player now dominating in VAFA. Named Centre Half Back in Team of the Year in 2024.

• Charlie Wilce (21) – Beaumaris. VAFA Rising Star nominee. Under-19 best and fairest and Grand Final best on ground in 2023.

• Will Nish (21) – Beaumaris. 183cm inside mid. Part of Sandringham Dragons’ 2023 flag.

• Elwood Peckett (20) – Bonbeach/Sandringham. 186cm midfielder. Was touted as a potential top-40 pick last year before injury setbacks this year.

• Sam Linder (20) – North Melbourne VFL. 178cm running defender. Starred in just his fourth VFL game with 25 disposals and 11 contested possessions.

• Adrian Cole (20) – Dandenong. 195cm key defender. Strong over-age season after narrowly missing the 2024 draft.

• Keanu Nadji (19) – Sandringham Dragons. 188cm defender. Broke into the Dragons’ side after a strong start with St Bedes.

• James Mikhael (19) – St Kevin’s. 182cm midfielder. Captain of St Kevin’s First XVIII.

• Rio Barry (19) – Scotch College. 173cm small forward. Has made one appearance at Sandringham U18 this season.

Category 5: Delisted Saints

• Zak Jones (31) – St Kilda. Still impactful at VFL level. Can play half-back to free up midfield spots. A Saints fan growing up. Job placement would be key.

• Angus McLennan (23) – St Kilda. Solid depth at VFL level despite inconsistent AFL stints.

Academy and father-son prospects could also appear late in the VFL season as draft preparation, as seen with Elwood Peckett and Adrian Cole in 2024.

Among the 2026 class, Kaie Sullivan (180cm) and Kyle Harrison (185cm defender) from Dandenong stand out at the moment as the best potential draftees, though they are far from locks. Others we’ll be hoping for significant improvement from include Quentin Hoffman, Rowan Mackenzie, Luke Mahimarajan and Ace Peckett.

This proposed squad mirrors the average list size for Victorian AFL aligned VFL clubs, which is 28 players.

B: Voss, Cole, McLennan
HB: Linder, Bielby, Milne
C: Tucker, Macrae, K.Owens
HF: Gresham, Hudghton, Ford
F: Coleman, Heatley, Loewe
R: Knobel, T. Dow, Z. Jones
INT: Sziller, Peckett, Nadji, Mikhael, Stevens (23rd)
EMG: Wilce, Nish, T. Owens, Barry, Everitt

Hypothetical round 1 2026 team

Assuming around 10 AFL listed players are unavailable due to injury or emergency roles (which has been the average number per round in 2025), and that the club drafts Oliver Greeves (first round), Jevan Phillipou (Marshall trade) and Kye Fincher (fourth round / rookie), a potential Round 1 VFL team could look like:

B: O’Connell, Cole, Bielby
HB: Voss, Barrett, Milne
C: T. Dow, F.Macrae, Wood (C)
HF: J. Phillipou, Caminiti, Ford
F: Coleman, Keeler, Said
R: Dodson, Clark, P. Dow
INT: Greeves, Knobel, Fincher, Z. Jones, Gresham (23rd)

Personally, I’d love to see Mason Wood named captain of the VFL side in 2026 and 2027. His influence on the group remains strong, even as his AFL form has tapered since mid-2023. This could provide a soft landing into a future development or mentoring role within the club.

Moorabbin is arguably the best stadium in the state for the crowd sizes the VFL typically attracts. With a creative recruiting strategy, this team can build supporter interest, accelerate player development and, in time, hopefully deliver the kind of club success Richmond experienced after going standalone in 2014.
 
Platform28 said:
St Kilda’s decision to launch a standalone VFL team in 2026 marks a pivotal step in shaping the club’s future.

AFL-aligned VFL teams operate under a $110,000 salary cap, while standalone clubs are allowed to spend up to $220,000. On paper, this might appear to disadvantage the Saints, but match payments aren’t everything at this level. The best VFL players, often recently delisted AFL talent, are typically drawn to clubs through job opportunities.

That’s where St Kilda may hold a unique edge. President Andrew Bassat also is chairman of SEEK, Australia’s largest employment platform. If used strategically, that connection could help secure elite semi-professional talent and give the club a potential recruiting advantage.

To build a strong list, St Kilda will need players willing to accept below-market payments. Many already do so, choosing the VFL over better-paid country or suburban leagues. But who will make that sacrifice? Players who are emotionally invested in the red, white and black, such as Saints fans growing up, sons of former players and Academy graduates.

I’ve assumed there will be a gentlemen’s agreement with Sandringham not to poach their players. The only exception is Elwood Peckett, as he is the son of a former player.

I’m also think that NGA eligibility will be extended beyond the current 18 and 19-year-old limit, potentially up to 23. This is a proposal put forward this year by several clubs, including St Kilda and more influential voices like Geelong.

The five recruitment categories

Category 1: Saints supporters growing up from VFL, Coates League or AFL

• Eddie Ford (turns 24 in 2026) – North Melbourne AFL. 184cm forward. Has shown glimpses across 40 AFL games but remains out of contract at season’s end.

• Darcy Tucker (29) – North Melbourne AFL. 184cm wingman with over 150 AFL games. Possibly surplus to requirements as North looks to the future.

• Blake Coleman (24) – Williamstown. 182cm forward. Brother of Brisbane’s Kiddy Coleman. Has kicked bags of five and three in the VFL this year.

• Mitchell Stevens (19) – Gippsland Power. 185cm mid/defender. Adelaide father-son prospect who supports the Saints. Averages 17 disposals in Coates League. VFL option if not drafted.

• Tyson Gresham (19) – Northern Knights. 169cm small forward/mid. Brother of Jade. NGA-eligible for Carlton. A solid season but dropped from Vic Metro after one match.

Category 2: Sons of former players

• James Sziller (28) – St Paul’s McKinnon. Inside mid. Played VFL from 2017 to 2019. Now St Paul’s captain, so extraction may be tough.

• Sam Loewe (26) – Old Haileybury. Former Sandringham VFL player and class forward at VAFA level.

• Tyson Milne (25) – Frankston. 184cm defender averaging 19 touches across five VFL seasons.

• Jackson Voss (24) – Frankston. 180cm running defender. Genuine gun, currently seventh in the VFL Coaches Award. Priority signing.

• Josh Hudghton (22) – Bright. Talented but injury-prone forward. Trained with Port Melbourne pre-season.

• Max Knobel (22) – Gold Coast. 206cm ruck. Out of contract. As Trent Knobel’s son, could have a soft spot for the Saints.

• Parker Heatley (21) – North Heidelberg. 185cm forward. Kicked 60 goals in 2024 to lead the Northern Football League.

• Boston Everitt (20) – Balwyn. 184cm forward. Yet to play in 2025 after finishing last year in reserves. Needs development but has a family connection.

Category 3: Brothers of current players

• Tomoya Owens (24) – Frankston. Utility with three seasons of VFL experience at Sandringham and Frankston.

• Kai Owens (26) – Mornington. Inside mid who placed second in Frankston’s best and fairest in 2023. Was considered draftable after that season.

• Thomson Dow (25) – Richmond. 184cm midfielder. 45 AFL games. Out of contract. May look to join brother Paddy.

• Finlay Macrae (24) – Collingwood. 188cm midfielder. Pick 19 in 2020. Just 21 AFL games and none this year.

Category 4: NGA alumni

• Scott Bielby (22) – Collegians. 186cm intercept defender. Former Sandy player now dominating in VAFA. Named Centre Half Back in Team of the Year in 2024.

• Charlie Wilce (21) – Beaumaris. VAFA Rising Star nominee. Under-19 best and fairest and Grand Final best on ground in 2023.

• Will Nish (21) – Beaumaris. 183cm inside mid. Part of Sandringham Dragons’ 2023 flag.

• Elwood Peckett (20) – Bonbeach/Sandringham. 186cm midfielder. Was touted as a potential top-40 pick last year before injury setbacks this year.

• Sam Linder (20) – North Melbourne VFL. 178cm running defender. Starred in just his fourth VFL game with 25 disposals and 11 contested possessions.

• Adrian Cole (20) – Dandenong. 195cm key defender. Strong over-age season after narrowly missing the 2024 draft.

• Keanu Nadji (19) – Sandringham Dragons. 188cm defender. Broke into the Dragons’ side after a strong start with St Bedes.

• James Mikhael (19) – St Kevin’s. 182cm midfielder. Captain of St Kevin’s First XVIII.

• Rio Barry (19) – Scotch College. 173cm small forward. Has made one appearance at Sandringham U18 this season.

Category 5: Delisted Saints

• Zak Jones (31) – St Kilda. Still impactful at VFL level. Can play half-back to free up midfield spots. A Saints fan growing up. Job placement would be key.

• Angus McLennan (23) – St Kilda. Solid depth at VFL level despite inconsistent AFL stints.

Academy and father-son prospects could also appear late in the VFL season as draft preparation, as seen with Elwood Peckett and Adrian Cole in 2024.

Among the 2026 class, Kaie Sullivan (180cm) and Kyle Harrison (185cm defender) from Dandenong stand out at the moment as the best potential draftees, though they are far from locks. Others we’ll be hoping for significant improvement from include Quentin Hoffman, Rowan Mackenzie, Luke Mahimarajan and Ace Peckett.

This proposed squad mirrors the average list size for Victorian AFL aligned VFL clubs, which is 28 players.

B: Voss, Cole, McLennan
HB: Linder, Bielby, Milne
C: Tucker, Macrae, K.Owens
HF: Gresham, Hudghton, Ford
F: Coleman, Heatley, Loewe
R: Knobel, T. Dow, Z. Jones
INT: Sziller, Peckett, Nadji, Mikhael, Stevens (23rd)
EMG: Wilce, Nish, T. Owens, Barry, Everitt

Hypothetical round 1 2026 team

Assuming around 10 AFL listed players are unavailable due to injury or emergency roles (which has been the average number per round in 2025), and that the club drafts Oliver Greeves (first round), Jevan Phillipou (Marshall trade) and Kye Fincher (fourth round / rookie), a potential Round 1 VFL team could look like:

B: O’Connell, Cole, Bielby
HB: Voss, Barrett, Milne
C: T. Dow, F.Macrae, Wood (C)
HF: J. Phillipou, Caminiti, Ford
F: Coleman, Keeler, Said
R: Dodson, Clark, P. Dow
INT: Greeves, Knobel, Fincher, Z. Jones, Gresham (23rd)

Personally, I’d love to see Mason Wood named captain of the VFL side in 2026 and 2027. His influence on the group remains strong, even as his AFL form has tapered since mid-2023. This could provide a soft landing into a future development or mentoring role within the club.

Moorabbin is arguably the best stadium in the state for the crowd sizes the VFL typically attracts. With a creative recruiting strategy, this team can build supporter interest, accelerate player development and, in time, hopefully deliver the kind of club success Richmond experienced after going standalone in 2014.
Click to expand...
We need to aim to get some delisted AFL expereince in the side. That's one area we've really lacked at Sandy this year, with their listed players mainly made up of 18 and 19 year olds who went undrafted.

A Jones type would be great to assist with our development.
 
BrutThough said:
We need to aim to get some delisted AFL expereince in the side. That's one area we've really lacked at Sandy this year, with their listed players mainly made up of 18 and 19 year olds who went undrafted.

A Jones type would be great to assist with our development.
Click to expand...
Billings would be a great get.
 
jwikked said:
Billings would be a great get.
Click to expand...
Clint Eastwood Coffee GIF
 
Dr Spaceman said:
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 👍🏻
Click to expand...
Box Hill and Casey share their team colours though don’t they? So the connection is easily drawn, which is very important, IMO.

I don’t care if our seconds team is called the Moorabbin Maulers, but the colours are an important subconscious connection for players and fans alike.
 
Has there been any move to call for coaches and players yet??
Seems to be a bit of a slow boil or would we be waiting for the season to finish???
 
Platform28 said:
St Kilda’s decision to launch a standalone VFL team in 2026 marks a pivotal step in shaping the club’s future.

AFL-aligned VFL teams operate under a $110,000 salary cap, while standalone clubs are allowed to spend up to $220,000. On paper, this might appear to disadvantage the Saints, but match payments aren’t everything at this level. The best VFL players, often recently delisted AFL talent, are typically drawn to clubs through job opportunities.

That’s where St Kilda may hold a unique edge. President Andrew Bassat also is chairman of SEEK, Australia’s largest employment platform. If used strategically, that connection could help secure elite semi-professional talent and give the club a potential recruiting advantage.

To build a strong list, St Kilda will need players willing to accept below-market payments. Many already do so, choosing the VFL over better-paid country or suburban leagues. But who will make that sacrifice? Players who are emotionally invested in the red, white and black, such as Saints fans growing up, sons of former players and Academy graduates.

I’ve assumed there will be a gentlemen’s agreement with Sandringham not to poach their players. The only exception is Elwood Peckett, as he is the son of a former player.

I’m also think that NGA eligibility will be extended beyond the current 18 and 19-year-old limit, potentially up to 23. This is a proposal put forward this year by several clubs, including St Kilda and more influential voices like Geelong.

The five recruitment categories

Category 1: Saints supporters growing up from VFL, Coates League or AFL

• Eddie Ford (turns 24 in 2026) – North Melbourne AFL. 184cm forward. Has shown glimpses across 40 AFL games but remains out of contract at season’s end.

• Darcy Tucker (29) – North Melbourne AFL. 184cm wingman with over 150 AFL games. Possibly surplus to requirements as North looks to the future.

• Blake Coleman (24) – Williamstown. 182cm forward. Brother of Brisbane’s Kiddy Coleman. Has kicked bags of five and three in the VFL this year.

• Mitchell Stevens (19) – Gippsland Power. 185cm mid/defender. Adelaide father-son prospect who supports the Saints. Averages 17 disposals in Coates League. VFL option if not drafted.

• Tyson Gresham (19) – Northern Knights. 169cm small forward/mid. Brother of Jade. NGA-eligible for Carlton. A solid season but dropped from Vic Metro after one match.

Category 2: Sons of former players

• James Sziller (28) – St Paul’s McKinnon. Inside mid. Played VFL from 2017 to 2019. Now St Paul’s captain, so extraction may be tough.

• Sam Loewe (26) – Old Haileybury. Former Sandringham VFL player and class forward at VAFA level.

• Tyson Milne (25) – Frankston. 184cm defender averaging 19 touches across five VFL seasons.

• Jackson Voss (24) – Frankston. 180cm running defender. Genuine gun, currently seventh in the VFL Coaches Award. Priority signing.

• Josh Hudghton (22) – Bright. Talented but injury-prone forward. Trained with Port Melbourne pre-season.

• Max Knobel (22) – Gold Coast. 206cm ruck. Out of contract. As Trent Knobel’s son, could have a soft spot for the Saints.

• Parker Heatley (21) – North Heidelberg. 185cm forward. Kicked 60 goals in 2024 to lead the Northern Football League.

• Boston Everitt (20) – Balwyn. 184cm forward. Yet to play in 2025 after finishing last year in reserves. Needs development but has a family connection.

Category 3: Brothers of current players

• Tomoya Owens (24) – Frankston. Utility with three seasons of VFL experience at Sandringham and Frankston.

• Kai Owens (26) – Mornington. Inside mid who placed second in Frankston’s best and fairest in 2023. Was considered draftable after that season.

• Thomson Dow (25) – Richmond. 184cm midfielder. 45 AFL games. Out of contract. May look to join brother Paddy.

• Finlay Macrae (24) – Collingwood. 188cm midfielder. Pick 19 in 2020. Just 21 AFL games and none this year.

Category 4: NGA alumni

• Scott Bielby (22) – Collegians. 186cm intercept defender. Former Sandy player now dominating in VAFA. Named Centre Half Back in Team of the Year in 2024.

• Charlie Wilce (21) – Beaumaris. VAFA Rising Star nominee. Under-19 best and fairest and Grand Final best on ground in 2023.

• Will Nish (21) – Beaumaris. 183cm inside mid. Part of Sandringham Dragons’ 2023 flag.

• Elwood Peckett (20) – Bonbeach/Sandringham. 186cm midfielder. Was touted as a potential top-40 pick last year before injury setbacks this year.

• Sam Linder (20) – North Melbourne VFL. 178cm running defender. Starred in just his fourth VFL game with 25 disposals and 11 contested possessions.

• Adrian Cole (20) – Dandenong. 195cm key defender. Strong over-age season after narrowly missing the 2024 draft.

• Keanu Nadji (19) – Sandringham Dragons. 188cm defender. Broke into the Dragons’ side after a strong start with St Bedes.

• James Mikhael (19) – St Kevin’s. 182cm midfielder. Captain of St Kevin’s First XVIII.

• Rio Barry (19) – Scotch College. 173cm small forward. Has made one appearance at Sandringham U18 this season.

Category 5: Delisted Saints

• Zak Jones (31) – St Kilda. Still impactful at VFL level. Can play half-back to free up midfield spots. A Saints fan growing up. Job placement would be key.

• Angus McLennan (23) – St Kilda. Solid depth at VFL level despite inconsistent AFL stints.

Academy and father-son prospects could also appear late in the VFL season as draft preparation, as seen with Elwood Peckett and Adrian Cole in 2024.

Among the 2026 class, Kaie Sullivan (180cm) and Kyle Harrison (185cm defender) from Dandenong stand out at the moment as the best potential draftees, though they are far from locks. Others we’ll be hoping for significant improvement from include Quentin Hoffman, Rowan Mackenzie, Luke Mahimarajan and Ace Peckett.

This proposed squad mirrors the average list size for Victorian AFL aligned VFL clubs, which is 28 players.

B: Voss, Cole, McLennan
HB: Linder, Bielby, Milne
C: Tucker, Macrae, K.Owens
HF: Gresham, Hudghton, Ford
F: Coleman, Heatley, Loewe
R: Knobel, T. Dow, Z. Jones
INT: Sziller, Peckett, Nadji, Mikhael, Stevens (23rd)
EMG: Wilce, Nish, T. Owens, Barry, Everitt

Hypothetical round 1 2026 team

Assuming around 10 AFL listed players are unavailable due to injury or emergency roles (which has been the average number per round in 2025), and that the club drafts Oliver Greeves (first round), Jevan Phillipou (Marshall trade) and Kye Fincher (fourth round / rookie), a potential Round 1 VFL team could look like:

B: O’Connell, Cole, Bielby
HB: Voss, Barrett, Milne
C: T. Dow, F.Macrae, Wood (C)
HF: J. Phillipou, Caminiti, Ford
F: Coleman, Keeler, Said
R: Dodson, Clark, P. Dow
INT: Greeves, Knobel, Fincher, Z. Jones, Gresham (23rd)

Personally, I’d love to see Mason Wood named captain of the VFL side in 2026 and 2027. His influence on the group remains strong, even as his AFL form has tapered since mid-2023. This could provide a soft landing into a future development or mentoring role within the club.

Moorabbin is arguably the best stadium in the state for the crowd sizes the VFL typically attracts. With a creative recruiting strategy, this team can build supporter interest, accelerate player development and, in time, hopefully deliver the kind of club success Richmond experienced after going standalone in 2014.
Click to expand...

An excellent and well crafted post thanks Platform!

110K for a semi professional salary cap is small change compared to what the better players could get playing else where. Is it any wonder players drift away from the VFL aligned clubs when they end their careers at the top level. They could attract 5 x the salary playing for a stand alone, metro or country footy. You only have to look how the stand alone clubs went this year, they attract and hold some real quality in their teams and when well run do well.

You would hope that we have dedicated some resources to our VFL recruiting and we are already well on the way of securing a number of signatures. The idea of our VFL team back playing and training at Moorabbin in our colours is brilliant and I cant wait to see them next season. Just the continuity and connection having everyone at the same club surely has got to improve things on field.

Some have said we are really interested in Jonah Campigli tall forward that played with Sandringham. It will be interesting to see how that plays out. Ex Sandi Tom Blamires (now Frankston) had a brilliant year and if not drafted, should be another recruiting target.

It will be interesting to see how Southport go next weekend against the Bulldogs VFL side, with half their side stacked with AFL players.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

It would be nice if the Club saluted a bit of its history by naming the team the Moorabbin Saints.
Same colours, guernsey, song etc.
As that was the agreement announced with the VFA Moorabbin team back in 1964 as part of the local government support for the move from the Junction.
The VFA put a stop to it by immediately excluding Moorabbin from the VFA in an attempt to scupper the deal. Effectively, killing Moorabbin.
If the Bulldogs can call themselves Footscray, we can do similar.
 
Last edited:
ESPN8 The Ocho said:
It would be nice if the Club saluted a bit of its history by naming the team the Moorabbin Saints.
Same colours, guernsey, song etc.
As that was the agreement announced with the VFL Moorabbin team back in 1964 as part of the local government support for the move from the Junction.
The VFA put a stop to it by immediately excluding Moorabbin from the VFA in an attempt to scupper the deal. Effectively, killing Moorabbin.
If the Bulldogs can call themselves Footscray, we can do similar.
Click to expand...
Don’t mind this..
 
SteeleSaints said:
An excellent and well crafted post thanks Platform!

110K for a semi professional salary cap is small change compared to what the better players could get playing else where. Is it any wonder players drift away from the VFL aligned clubs when they end their careers at the top level. They could attract 5 x the salary playing for a stand alone, metro or country footy. You only have to look how the stand alone clubs went this year, they attract and hold some real quality in their teams and when well run do well.

You would hope that we have dedicated some resources to our VFL recruiting and we are already well on the way of securing a number of signatures. The idea of our VFL team back playing and training at Moorabbin in our colours is brilliant and I cant wait to see them next season. Just the continuity and connection having everyone at the same club surely has got to improve things on field.

Some have said we are really interested in Jonah Campigli tall forward that played with Sandringham. It will be interesting to see how that plays out. Ex Sandi Tom Blamires (now Frankston) had a brilliant year and if not drafted, should be another recruiting target.

It will be interesting to see how Southport go next weekend against the Bulldogs VFL side, with half their side stacked with AFL players.
Click to expand...


Other clubs must be paying off the books or something. Most other sides seem stacked with quality depth.
 
SteeleSaints said:
An excellent and well crafted post thanks Platform!

110K for a semi professional salary cap is small change compared to what the better players could get playing else where. Is it any wonder players drift away from the VFL aligned clubs when they end their careers at the top level. They could attract 5 x the salary playing for a stand alone, metro or country footy. You only have to look how the stand alone clubs went this year, they attract and hold some real quality in their teams and when well run do well.

You would hope that we have dedicated some resources to our VFL recruiting and we are already well on the way of securing a number of signatures. The idea of our VFL team back playing and training at Moorabbin in our colours is brilliant and I cant wait to see them next season. Just the continuity and connection having everyone at the same club surely has got to improve things on field.

Some have said we are really interested in Jonah Campigli tall forward that played with Sandringham. It will be interesting to see how that plays out. Ex Sandi Tom Blamires (now Frankston) had a brilliant year and if not drafted, should be another recruiting target.

It will be interesting to see how Southport go next weekend against the Bulldogs VFL side, with half their side stacked with AFL players.
Click to expand...
It is absolutely wild to me that the premier sports league in the country has that much of a disparity in payments between its first and second tiers that you could literally earn more playing metro/country footy.

And the AFL want to bring in more teams, making it even more top heavier.
 

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

bergholt said:
Kiss of death for Deven Robertson - being named in the VFL team of the year in your sixth year of AFL football usually means you've been pigeonholed to that level
Click to expand...

Yeah he should have went back to Perth when he had the chance...
 

Remove this Banner Ad

News St Kilda to field standalone VFL team in 2026

Similar threads

boydie
  • Sticky
Sponsored BigFooty St Kilda Board Player Sponsorship 2026
Replies
12
Views
285
Armitage2Riewoldt
Armitage2Riewoldt
Hubnester
Welcome Welcome to St Kilda - Kye Fincher
Replies
19
Views
1K
stfan
stfan
beside the seaside
Welcome Welcome to St Kilda - Charlie Banfield
2 3 4
Replies
78
Views
6K
Imtellingya
I
Hubnester
Welcome Welcome to St Kilda - Liam Ryan!
2
Replies
37
Views
3K
gringo2011
gringo2011
Hubnester
Welcome Welcome to St Kilda - Jack Silvagni!
Replies
24
Views
2K
Jade Buddha
Jade Buddha
Hubnester
Welcome Welcome to St Kilda - Tom De Koning!
Replies
12
Views
1K
Sully111
Sully111
stfan
Gather Round Tickets for St Kilda Members
Replies
20
Views
665
PoppedCorn
PoppedCorn

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

Back
Top