News St Kilda to field standalone VFL team in 2026

[Yawkey way]

Curious to how vocal us supporters will be on VFL GameDay especially at Moorabbin. I envisage a decent amount of barracking, and mild to moderate abuse, now made possible in Saints colours with Saints paid players. Tell me it’s going to happen? Sandy was no man’s land for both lots of supporters. The Saints VFL is an absolute cherry on top! Can’t wait.

I think the team will pull good crowds at moorabbin.

I’ll go and I know plenty of others who will as well. I think the barracking will be pretty mild, more good natured than outright abuse. I liked sandy but that relationship never felt right, I’m glad we’ve moved on.

 

[Yawkey way]

Just speaking to a Western Jets coach at the gym this afternoon
Moved to Newport, lost their captain to the country who offered him 100k for 16 games.
Some big money in country footy.

Exactly, their are a lot of guys playing country football on very good money.

The numbers I hear make playing vfl a waste of time for anyone other than a few kids with a realistic chance of perhaps earning a rookie list spot.

You should have asked him how many he took with him. It seems pretty common for a gun to arrive with a couple of very handy sidekicks.

 

[hotdish]

Canberra Times article re signing of Isaac Baldwin

 

[stavro#4]

 

[akaifu]

Blake Chambers is a gun. Unlucky to miss out on being drafted - had 28 disposals in the CTL GF. Excited to see what he can do in our colours

 

[saint66au]

How many VFL lists have ZERO games of AFL experience?? Not many Id think

I really really hope Im wrong but if we get hit hard with AFL injuries (just for something different lol) I fear this side could be in for some beltings.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

How many VFL lists have ZERO games of AFL experience?? Not many Id think

I really really hope Im wrong but if we get hit hard with AFL injuries (just for something different lol) I fear this side could be in for some beltings.

How many AFL games experience did we have in the Sandringham listed players last year? The year before ?.

Edit , Bulldogs played 18 AFL listed players in their premiership winning side.

 

[saint66au]

How many AFL games experience did we have in the Sandringham listed players last year? The year before ?.

Edit , Bulldogs played 18 AFL listed players in their premiership winning side.

Exactly my point..the last thing we want is to be Sandy 2025 v2.0 i.e cannon fodder unlesss we had a swag of AFL-listed experience

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Exactly my point..the last thing we want is to be Sandy 2025 v2.0 i.e cannon fodder unless we had a swag of AFL-listed experience

Why would they want to play for StKilda though?
Stand alone teams have more cash to splurge on retired AFL players. ( ie Heppel at Port ).
There are some , Like Ed Phillips, who play a few years after they fail at AFL level, ( played for Box Hill ) .

Meanwhile Sandringham have signed around 9 players for the coming season, and i don't see any former AFL talent.
Their last year B&F winner, Angus McLennon has gone to play for North Heidleburg.
Hugh Boxhall was second. ( Can't have him Zebra's ).
Jonah Campagni was third in their B&F, and has now signed with StKilda VFL.
Then Max Heath. ( Gone to the Demons ).
Harry Boyd. ( Now at Norwood ).
Jack Carrol and Zac Jones. ( One Stkilda listed, one retired ).
Dow and Shoenmaker ( StKilda and South Adelaide Panthers ).
O'Connell, Travaglia , and Dodson.

Their top ten players were StKilda listed . They either didn't try, or couldn't convince the 3 players who parted ways with the Saints.
Their best non-afl player went to StKilda rather than the Zebras.

Unless we do start getting extraordinary injuries , they will be fine.
If we do start to get an extraordinary run of injuries its not the VFL list i mainly give a crap about.

 

[akaifu]

Exactly my point..the last thing we want is to be Sandy 2025 v2.0 i.e cannon fodder unlesss we had a swag of AFL-listed experience

AFL experience will come from the AFL reserves players. Our AFL list bats a lot deeper in depth compared to the last couple of years with Sandy. Assuming full fitness, guys like Dow, Butler, Caminiti, Tauru, Keeler, Byrnes, Clark etc. will all run through the 2s throughout the year

Obviously it would be nice to sign some ex-AFL guys but in reality we're entering our inaugural season and they have no reason to sign with us over other state league sides that are more established and would give them a better opportunity to re-join the AFL. Absolutely no doubt we've tried - they just don't want us...yet

 

[gringo2011]

How many VFL lists have ZERO games of AFL experience?? Not many Id think

I really really hope Im wrong but if we get hit hard with AFL injuries (just for something different lol) I fear this side could be in for some beltings.

A VFL stand alone club is more about drilling our system into our players than getting wins. If wins come it’s a bonus.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

An AFL club can have 44 players.

If we assume a reasonable amount of injury of around 5, that becomes 39.
So that means on a good week, 14 will play VFL , a bad week 11 or 12 . ( Depending on timing of AFL/VFL games ).

Aligned clubs can have 30 listed players. 15 development. ( Development can be any player under 22 ).
Cap is $ 110 000. Gives an average of $3600 per player.

Non-Aligned clubs have a 40 player list with $220 000.
That gives an average of $5500.
Do they pay all their players that bit extra, and hope they can attract an overall better team?
Of do they get similar players for similar money , maybe $3000 per player, and pay $20K or so to a few marquis players "?

Either way, most players on the team are getting paid a pittance, and they clubs will attract younger players who think they have a chance to make an impression and get on an AFL list.

 

[gringo2011]

An AFL club can have 44 players.

If we assume a reasonable amount of injury of around 5, that becomes 39.
So that means on a good week, 14 will play VFL , a bad week 11 or 12 . ( Depending on timing of AFL/VFL games ).

Aligned clubs can have 30 listed players. 15 development. ( Development can be any player under 22 ).
Cap is $ 110 000. Gives an average of $3600 per player.

Non-Aligned clubs have a 40 player list with $220 000.
That gives an average of $5500.
Do they pay all their players that bit extra, and hope they can attract an overall better team?
Of do they get similar players for similar money , maybe $3000 per player, and pay $20K or so to a few marquis players "?

Either way, most players on the team are getting paid a pittance, and they clubs will attract younger players who think they have a chance to make an impression and get on an AFL list.

I'm pretty sure a lot of AFL aligned clubs have a secret fund from donors or something because a lot stack their lists out.