Saints homeward bound!!

[Ellaandjohn]

Be good to get back to the junction oval. I've just turned 80 and remember it very well. Used to go with my wife Ella every home game


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[Dave McNamara]

Bump.

Don't forget the long game Saintsationalists.

[Teflon]

Don't bump old threads - waste of timeb

[Dave McNamara]

Don't bump old threads - waste of timeb

Why do you say that Tefers? (Btw, what is your definition of old?)

[Dave McNamara]

Be good to get back to the junction oval. I've just turned 80 and remember it very well. Used to go with my wife Ella every home game


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I hope that you and your wife get to see some more home games there John. (And that your son comes with you. )





PS: And good onya for not being a technophobe. Plenty of those of your generation are.

[Trev from the Bush]

Jeez, Dave, are you sure your not really Father Jack (of Father Ted fame)? Reflexes a bit slow old fella!

[saynta]

I actually grew up following the saints at the junction oval. It was an real dump.

[Dave McNamara]

I actually grew up following the saints at the junction oval. It was an real dump.

Someone else who used to post on here (and is sadly missed), once expressed similar sentiments. But the 'G aside, all the grounds were like that back in the day. So I'd argue that point is irrelevant now.

[Dave McNamara]

Jeez, Dave, are you sure your not really Father Jack (of Father Ted fame)? Reflexes a bit slow old fella!

I had to look him up Trev. Had never heard of him.

Trev, I don't drink, but when we return to JO, I'll very very happily shout you the drinks.

(We could maybe meet up with JohnandElla, and their son, plus saynta, and also the other bloke who used to go to games at JO, but no longer posts on here. I'll very very happily shout all of you the drinks.)

the JO is the GO

.

[Dave McNamara]

But they are disappointed that the league is trying to strip them of equalisation funding from central revenue as a result.

Fairfax Media understands club chairmen Peter Summers (St Kilda), Ben Buckley (North) and Peter Gordon (the Bulldogs) have met this week to review their grievances and update their strategies in what has proved a protracted process.

All three Etihad clubs believe the AFL failed to address the inequities over close to two decades forced upon them by the costly stadium deal.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/a ... z5e40.html

And there are still some people who wonder why we simply have to return to our birthplace, our home, our St Kilda(?)

the JO is the GO

[Saint 58]

Looking at the bigger picture, we will NEVER match it with Collingwood, Carlton, Richmond, Hawthorn, interstate clubs or Geelong unless we turn the Junction Oval into what the Hillbillies have at Kardinia Park
Geelong hide players in the draft as do interstate clubs and all the East Coasters have player academies so we are pushing S*** up hill
We are in a saturated Victorian market & unless we have a point of difference we are doomed long term
Unless we think big, nothing will change, we will never grow

[saintspremiers]

Looking at the bigger picture, we will NEVER match it with Collingwood, Carlton, Richmond, Hawthorn, interstate clubs or Geelong unless we turn the Junction Oval into what the Hillbillies have at Kardinia Park
Geelong hide players in the draft as do interstate clubs and all the East Coasters have player academies so we are pushing S*** up hill
We are in a saturated Victorian market & unless we have a point of difference we are doomed long term
Unless we think big, nothing will change, we will never grow

Dave it won't happen

Give up

[Dave McNamara]

Dave it won't happen

Give up

That's not really an option SP. Unless we want more of the same...

Stadium deal compensation that you are talking about (which adds to the long standing AFL distribution to all clubs) has only been in place for a few years - it is the acknowledgment that for a dozen or so years that we got screwed but offers no back compensation. Previous board members have told me it made us $10m+ worse off.

The figure sounds a bit familiar. How much is our current debt again...?

$10M per club is not bizarre when you consider we were reamed for about 13 years - reasitically we are talking around $700-$800K per annum.

Or... that's still a bit less than what the Hillbillies net per home game.

(That'd be $825K, from an average crowd of 26000. For comparison, that same home crowd figure at Dockedlands costs us ~$73K.

Looking at the bigger picture, we will NEVER match it with Collingwood, Carlton, Richmond, Hawthorn, interstate clubs or Geelong unless we turn the Junction Oval into what the Hillbillies have at Kardinia Park
Geelong hide players in the draft as do interstate clubs and all the East Coasters have player academies so we are pushing S*** up hill
We are in a saturated Victorian market & unless we have a point of difference we are doomed long term
Unless we think big, nothing will change, we will never grow

This!

[Dave McNamara]

the JO is the GO

.

[Saint 58]

I hope the next state election is won by the Libs, even though I vote Labor !
Then hoping we will push to move to the JO & the Libs will recommit to getting the Saints to the JO

[Linton Lodger]

I'd prefer a Boutique Stadium at Moorabbin, but would be happy with the Junction.

[longtimesaint]

I'd prefer a Boutique Stadium at Moorabbin, but would be happy with the Junction.

With $30 million committed to Moorabbin there is no way we will move again in the foreseeable future.
My early years of the Saints was at Junction oval from 1958 but I think Moorabbin is the better option now.
Moorabbin has better rail/bus connections and better parking near the ground.

[Dave McNamara]

I hope the next state election is won by the Libs, even though I vote Labor !
Then hoping we will push to move to the JO & the Libs will recommit to getting the Saints to the JO

I too would sell my soul and vote for the Victorian Tea Party to get us back to JO.


(The things we do for love... )

[Dave McNamara]

With $30 million committed to Moorabbin there is no way we will move again in the foreseeable future.
My early years of the Saints was at Junction oval from 1958 but I think Moorabbin is the better option now.
Moorabbin has better rail/bus connections and better parking near the ground.

Some good points raised lts.

And, hopefully some good responses...

1/ That wouldn't be an issue, as like with outer Siberia, the public money spent wouldn't be wasted, as other community organizations would be take over the vacated facilities.

2/ Public transport is often raised as an issue. I'd simply say that the Grand Prix organization doesn't see it as an issue. They annually get 250,000 people to 'their' venue right next door. And the St Kilda Music Festival attracts 500,000 and over every year.

the JO is the GO

.

[samuraisaint]

I actually grew up following the saints at the junction oval. It was an real dump.

Someone else who used to post on here (and is sadly missed), once expressed similar sentiments. But the 'G aside, all the grounds were like that back in the day. So I'd argue that point is irrelevant now.

I grew up following the Saints at Moorabbin but used to love going to see us play Fitzroy at the Junction Oval. Fantastic atmosphere and loved the breeze which came up Fitzroy Street from the bay. Some of the wins I saw against Fitzroy there are amongst my fondest St Kilda supporting moments.

[samuraisaint]

Dave it won't happen

Give up

That's not really an option SP. Unless we want more of the same...

Stadium deal compensation that you are talking about (which adds to the long standing AFL distribution to all clubs) has only been in place for a few years - it is the acknowledgment that for a dozen or so years that we got screwed but offers no back compensation. Previous board members have told me it made us $10m+ worse off.

The figure sounds a bit familiar. How much is our current debt again...?

$10M per club is not bizarre when you consider we were reamed for about 13 years - reasitically we are talking around $700-$800K per annum.

Or... that's still a bit less than what the Hillbillies net per home game.

(That'd be $825K, from an average crowd of 26000. For comparison, that same home crowd figure at Dockedlands costs us ~$73K.

Looking at the bigger picture, we will NEVER match it with Collingwood, Carlton, Richmond, Hawthorn, interstate clubs or Geelong unless we turn the Junction Oval into what the Hillbillies have at Kardinia Park
Geelong hide players in the draft as do interstate clubs and all the East Coasters have player academies so we are pushing S*** up hill
We are in a saturated Victorian market & unless we have a point of difference we are doomed long term
Unless we think big, nothing will change, we will never grow

This!

Geelong and Essendon have always had supportive local councils though.

I can't believe we agreed to that Docklands stadium deal. Especially as at that time we had begun a slide after some good years in the 90s. It beggars belief that we lose money at games where we don't draw 28,000 spectators. I just don't see how professional bean counters signed off on a deal so potentially calamitous. I was under the impression that the AFL have already bought Docklands? If so, when do we start keeping our gate revenue?

Porter's Generic Strategies are; 1.) lower costs, or 2.) differentiate your product, so there is support for your suggestion, but the St. Kilda Cricket Club and Cricket Victoria use the Junction Oval, and the oval they were going to plan in that precinct didn't end up getting approved after the recent state election, so I can't see it happening.

Moorabbin is going ahead so I just hope that that will bring dividends.

[the dome]

" It beggars belief that we lose money at games where we don't draw 28,000 spectators"
Crazy Big time @ the Dome !!
This situation must put enormous pressure on the club, financially & psychologically.
If this was happening to Collingwood for instance they have plenty of deep pockets to wear it.
Back in the day 7 & 8 years ago when we were reaching grand finals & drawing big crowds it all looked sweet as but
it doesn't really feel like our home ground when I think of how we as a club are being ripped off.
Saints, Bulldogs & North need to stick together in forcing the issue. With a united front we should get a bit more respect from HQ & actually see some progress in making the Dome work for our Saintly club.

[ausfatcat]

" Back in the day 7 & 8 years ago when we were reaching grand finals & drawing big crowds it all looked sweet as but
:

Wouldn't say that was the case as we were losing a lot of revenue that we should have been getting and putting aside

[Drake Huggins]

I believe your theory is sound, DMc, and I agree wholeheartedly with your logic and predicted outcomes. It's just so hard ever seeing it happen. We'd have to broker a deal with the State Governments and Cricket Victoria. If we are ever to become truly competitive with the big powers, playing out of our own boutique stadium, where we keep all the revenue is essential. They'll never build one at Moorabbin, but having the modern training facility in our spiritual heartland as of next year will be crucial. Going home will be a massive bonus.

On the other hand, our geographical home offers so many marvellous marketing and revenue raising possibilities, it's hard to understand why we haven't tried harder to make it happen. The current sporting precinct around the MCG is overcrowded already. Imagine another 30,000 seat stadium in St.Kilda. Already an internationally famous tourist destination, we could also get other clubs to play there against small crowd-drawing interstate clubs as well. The public transport is sufficiently good and would obviously get some upgraded services if it ever was to happen. A win for all of the community. It may also help lure uncontracted players.

On the downside, we'd have to be very careful with what any arrangement with CV would look like. We have to remember that one of the reasons we left JO in the first place was because of the cricket club. Don't let de ja vu get us!

[Dave McNamara]

I believe your theory is sound, DMc, and I agree wholeheartedly with your logic and predicted outcomes. It's just so hard ever seeing it happen. We'd have to broker a deal with the State Governments and Cricket Victoria. If we are ever to become truly competitive with the big powers, playing out of our own boutique stadium, where we keep all the revenue is essential. They'll never build one at Moorabbin, but having the modern training facility in our spiritual heartland as of next year will be crucial. Going home will be a massive bonus.

On the other hand, our geographical home offers so many marvellous marketing and revenue raising possibilities, it's hard to understand why we haven't tried harder to make it happen. The current sporting precinct around the MCG is overcrowded already. Imagine another 30,000 seat stadium in St.Kilda. Already an internationally famous tourist destination, we could also get other clubs to play there against small crowd-drawing interstate clubs as well. The public transport is sufficiently good and would obviously get some upgraded services if it ever was to happen. A win for all of the community. It may also help lure uncontracted players.

On the downside, we'd have to be very careful with what any arrangement with CV would look like. We have to remember that one of the reasons we left JO in the first place was because of the cricket club. Don't let de ja vu get us!

Agree, we'd have to be careful re the terms, but being an AFL club actually gives us a lot of clout these days.

As for Cricket Victoria... Their short-sightedness has already cost the JO re-development $15 million. I look forward to watching Shield Cricket at JO next July...