News St Kilda to field standalone VFL team in 2026

[saint66au]

Interesting that AB's BnF speech mentioned a function for our cashed up supporters that realized $1m towards the VFL program

 

[Mat Mann]

Sad to see

 

[beside the seaside]

Sad to see

This is really just an utter mess. Just make a reserves comp and be done with it.

 

[austinnn]

This is really just an utter mess. Just make a reserves comp and be done with it.

Agreed. Didn't we use to have one? Don't understand why we changed it.

 

[The Jack]

Sad to see

There goes one win for next year.

 

[bergholt]

Agreed. Didn't we use to have one? Don't understand why we changed it.

It was way too expensive to fly reserves teams around the country at the time. There's more money in the game now so it makes more sense.

 

[bergholt]

This gives a good example of how frontending/backending of contracts can work:



Petracca is quoted generally as being on $1.2m a year, but his salary for the next four years is $1.44 million a year - 20% more than the sticker price.

That means he's only been paid about $880k a year for the first three years of his contract.

That's a $1.2m/year player getting paid $300k/year less than sticker price.

So imagine how much we could have front-ended contracts the last year or two, and therefore how much space we might have the next couple of years?

 

[Grav]

Sad to see

So do they or had they any decent players we can ask to join our reserves?

 

[Imtellingya]

So do they or had they any decent players we can ask to join our reserves?

Matthew Allison and Jack Bytel?

 

[bergholt]

Matthew Allison and Jack Bytel?

That's Coburg not Preston

 

[Imtellingya]

Any more word on our Ressies team. Sandringham already have their coaching panel and have signed a few players.

 

[SG34]

Any more word on our Ressies team. Sandringham already have their coaching panel and have signed a few players.

What are rules for players? Do we have to have ‘reserves only-capable” players in there? Otherwise, we just can’t get the 46 players for both teams. And that’s before injuries!

 

[bergholt]

What are rules for players? Do we have to have ‘reserves only-capable” players in there? Otherwise, we just can’t get the 46 players for both teams. And that’s before injuries!

Yeah not sure what the rules are but Collingwood seem to have 29 VFL-listed players, so I assume we'll end up with similar

 

[saintmike65]

Yeah not sure what the rules are but Collingwood seem to have 29 VFL-listed players, so I assume we'll end up with similar

25-30 i was told

 

[SG34]

This is really just an utter mess. Just make a reserves comp and be done with it.

What do you mean? I think the best way forward is the for VFA to reform as a separate entity to the AFL. make their own rules. Go back to 16 a side. Shorter quarters. More inclusive. Progressive media. Allow local retailers to flog food at games - safety permitted, and go from there. I don’t know, but i suspect that the number of kids playing footy is way down as a proportion of the population, as is any organized team sports. As is pretty much any activity that is not gaming and social media based, so numbers for teams may be lean. But …gotta do something.

 

[Imtellingya]

What do you mean? I think the best way forward is the for VFA to reform as a separate entity to the AFL. make their own rules. Go back to 16 a side. Shorter quarters. More inclusive. Progressive media. Allow local retailers to flog food at games - safety permitted, and go from there. I don’t know, but i suspect that the number of kids playing footy is way down as a proportion of the population, as is any organized team sports. As is pretty much any activity that is not gaming and social media based, so numbers for teams may be lean. But …gotta do something.

Number of girls playing is increasing dramatically

 

[beside the seaside]

What do you mean? I think the best way forward is the for VFA to reform as a separate entity to the AFL. make their own rules. Go back to 16 a side. Shorter quarters. More inclusive. Progressive media. Allow local retailers to flog food at games - safety permitted, and go from there. I don’t know, but i suspect that the number of kids playing footy is way down as a proportion of the population, as is any organized team sports. As is pretty much any activity that is not gaming and social media based, so numbers for teams may be lean. But …gotta do something.

I mean that the VFL comp is a mess. Your ideas for the VFA are great, better for those clubs to get out of the VFL competition as it is ruining great old clubs.

 

[SG34]

https://www.theroar.com.au/2025/10/17/why-the-demise-of-a-historic-vfl-club-means-its-time-for-a-rethink-of-the-afl-pyramid/#:~:text=In%20SA%20the%20Crows%20and,well%2C%20the%20Gold%20Coast%20actually.

 

[SG34]

I mean that the VFL comp is a mess. Your ideas for the VFA are great, better for those clubs to get out of the VFL competition as it is ruining great old clubs.

thanks. except my idea won't work as the whole machine is based on TV rights from AFL contracts and gambling. To be viable it would have to be more sketchy than the local circus. Special gambling mobile casino vans. Boxing at half time. Games of two up between quarters. Hot air balloon bars. Muppet shows...evil kneival stunts, shooting galleries..

 

[EconomicDecline]

Is it a controversial opinion to state that the AFL destroyed the VFL with the amalgamation of the NEAFL into it in order to provide the northern clubs with a better development environment, significantly rising the costs to operate the league and for its participants.

 

[StFly]

Is it a controversial opinion to state that the AFL destroyed the VFL with the amalgamation of the NEAFL into it in order to provide the northern clubs with a better development environment, significantly rising the costs to operate the league and for its participants.

Yes and no really.

VFL was on a slow decline naturally, NEAFL basically just sped it up.

 

[sammm]

It is the 3 or byes we all have that that is stupid, and make the VFL no longer work

 

[stavro#4]

 

[sammm]

It is the 3 or byes we all have that that is stupid, and make the VFL no longer work

I am quoting myself, thats terrible. but they should just have 21 teams or whatever and 20 games, each plays each other once. and if they want 23 games to match AFL (which they should) then they should either have a bye like the afl do, or have a special extra round

 

[sammm]

I wonder how they found those players.

good that we are starting to see some players