Why was St Kilda invited to join the VFL?

[shanegrambeau]

I am always lookin* for distractions …(this weekend especially) …and I do love to retreat into history…

But why were the Saints and Blues invited?

I read this from wiki…

…….Wiki starts………
Background and founding[edit]

The final standing of the 1896 VFA ladder. Collingwood, Essendon, Fitzroy, Geelong, Melbourne, South Melbourne, Carlton and St Kilda would form the VFL the following year.
The Victorian Football Association (VFA) was established in 1877 and quickly went on to become Victoria's football competition. During the 1890s, an off-field power struggle occurred between the VFA's stronger and weaker clubs, the former seeking greater administrative control commensurate with their relative financial contribution to the game. This came to a head in 1896 when it was proposed that gate profits, which were always lower in matches involving the weaker clubs, be shared equally amongst all teams in the VFA. After it was intimated that the proposal would be put to a vote, six of the strongest clubs—Collingwood, Essendon, Fitzroy, Geelong, Melbourne and South Melbourne—seceded from the VFA, and later invited Carlton and St Kilda to join them in founding a new competition, the Victorian Football League (VFL). The remaining VFA clubs—Footscray, North Melbourne, Port Melbourne, Richmond and Williamstown—were given the opportunity to compete as junior sides at a level beneath the VFL, but rejected the offer and remained for the 1897 VFA season.[2]

……wiki finishes…..

And have you seen the ladder at the end of 1896? We finished with six wins and a draw….above Geelong, Carlton and Richmond…

It sounds like a nasty and very socialism meets capitalism kind of spat….the big clubs refusing to subsidize the weaker ones. We were evidently part of the latter, but were asked to join.

Was it possible that Carlton and St Kilda were used to “rub it in” to the poorer clubs…’look, you losers, they are joining too’! I hope not.

Isn’t it interesting that 125 years later, we still have the same spat? So Collingwood ex-president complains that Collingwood has to carry the can for teams like us, but they get to squeeze into the MCG while tossing cricket out to the JO.

We have managed to hold on for dear life….and North too,..bless em. I know no one here probably cares for James Brayshaw etc., but I give him massive props for that effort.

RIP Fitzroy

[Selhurst Saint]

I remember reading years ago that the major factor in being asked to join the VFL was that we had a "fine ground".

[saynta]

They wanted the J O.

[Wayne42]

I hope they didn't ask St Kilda to join the VFL because the stronger clubs wanted or needed a team that would win the Wooden Spoon, often.

If so, we succeeded beyond their wildest dreams.

[shanegrambeau]

I hope they didn't ask St Kilda to join the VFL because the stronger clubs wanted or needed a team that would win the Wooden Spoon, often.

If so, we succeeded beyond their wildest dreams.

That's what i was thinking.

Like St Kilda was ssooo bad that they would be good to prop up the others. We certainly had a pretty sketchy ride in the VFA that included merges with Univerity and Prahran and dropping out of the comp altogether.

https://www.saints.com.au/club/history/ ... /1873-1896

So I guess Saynta's point is right.

The JO!

The JO is Go!