Frankston? The Saints are moving.
The Saints are off to Frankston, and the Linen House Oval at Moorabbin won't have St Kilda players there after 2009.
From the St Kilda site: Saints Relocate to Frankston
The move might lead to a change in their VFL affiliation, although Cranbourne and Frankston are not too far away from each other. In the past, Frankston have always wanted to be a stand-alone VFL club.
The City of Kingston didn't just drop the ball, they lost it. It will make fans of the Saints around Moorabbin wonder why the council was anti-AFL and anti-sports, they will need someone like Matlock to find the real reason why the council said goodbye to AFL football.
The finances of the deal:
There are also some other reasons for the move that would not be mentioned elsewhere. Maybe Nathan Burke wants to once again run a sports store in Frankston, so it's time to get the NBA Jam arcade game going again. Robert Harvey would not have to travel far to attend training, and he might still be there playing in a few years. It's not too far from Everitt's neighbourhood, he could be the ruck coach in 2010. Attracting discarded WA players will be easier, as surf spots are just a short drive away from Frankston.
From the St Kilda site: Saints Relocate to Frankston
St Kilda Football Club has today signed a Heads of Agreement with Frankston City Council to establish a new $10.25m elite training facility and administration centre at Frankston Park in time for the 2010 AFL Season.
The move might lead to a change in their VFL affiliation, although Cranbourne and Frankston are not too far away from each other. In the past, Frankston have always wanted to be a stand-alone VFL club.
The City of Kingston didn't just drop the ball, they lost it. It will make fans of the Saints around Moorabbin wonder why the council was anti-AFL and anti-sports, they will need someone like Matlock to find the real reason why the council said goodbye to AFL football.
The finances of the deal:
St Kilda Football Club - $1.25m
State Government - $3.45m
Australian Football League - $2.55m
Frankston City Council - $3.00m
Total $10.25m
State Government - $3.45m
Australian Football League - $2.55m
Frankston City Council - $3.00m
Total $10.25m
There are also some other reasons for the move that would not be mentioned elsewhere. Maybe Nathan Burke wants to once again run a sports store in Frankston, so it's time to get the NBA Jam arcade game going again. Robert Harvey would not have to travel far to attend training, and he might still be there playing in a few years. It's not too far from Everitt's neighbourhood, he could be the ruck coach in 2010. Attracting discarded WA players will be easier, as surf spots are just a short drive away from Frankston.
The 'aints thought it was critical that they move their pension-robbing, gambler-addiction-breeding bells and whistles boxes a few metres down Linton St so they would front on to South Road.
Apparently having a gambling den fronting South Road was more important to the 'aints than staying at Moorabbin and nobody should delude themselves otherwise.
Furthermore the council - AFAIK - wasn't even overtly objecting to the idea but rather playing the political game the way it should by making sure the application for a new gambling den went through the gaming authority. A wise move in a political environment where many Victorians want to get rid of the useless pieces of junk.
In the end the facility in Franga will not be ready any earlier than it would have taken for the 'aints to go through proper channels and get the last tick of approval they needed in order to stay in Moorabbin.
On top of that, why exactly WOULD a council want an AFL club? Which AFL club in Melbourne actually contributes anything to the local community? If I lived in South Yarra could I rock up to Collingwood's Lexus Garage and use their facilities like an ordinary gym? Hell no. Could I hold a meeting about a local issue in there? Never.
What exactly were Kingston rate payers going to get for their $2 million? The chance to watch half a dozen VFL games at old Moorabbin again? No. The chance to watch the 'aints train? No! These days they train during the day when most people are working. What I ask? What?
Facilities
o A lecture theatre;
o meeting rooms and breakout areas
o A multi purpose sports hall, for use by the local schools,
clubs and local basketball associations;
o Hydrotherapy pool/aquatic rehabilitation facilities.
Programs
o Development of school programs including school holiday
programs;
o Partnerships with the VIS and local based elite athletes;
o Partnership with Frankston Dolphins by providing access to
the gym and assisting with ongoing viability;
o Development of a Community Partnership Program
between St Kilda Football Club and Frankston City Council,
o Access to key St Kilda Football Club executives to support
business development and tourism initiatives; and
o Provides national exposure to Frankston and supports the
Transit City program.
Kingston Council will most likely be spending money on their Arts & Cultural Grants Program. A sporting ground and other facilities would seem to benefit the community more than that.
Thank you for your comments.
The rest is complete fluff such as "breakout areas". LOL.
The community partnership program should not be bought, unless they're thinking tax write-off.
The most crazy thing is that the Franga football ground is completely squeezed in on at least two sides. There is very little room to build in particular at the Young and High Street ends:
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Maybe there's room at the Bay St end and a shallow facility could fit in on the Plowman Place wing. It will be interesting to see what design they come up with.
Also interesting will be the quality of the flat-as-a-tack playing surface which was coloured like straw reminiscent of a full oval turf cricket pitch this year when I watched Williamstown pummell the Dolphins whilst stacked with Magpies
The 'partnership' with Frankston Dolphins is a laugh. Surely they should align with them in the VFL? What a joke it would be to have an AFL team based at the same ground as a non-aligned VFL side whilst the AFL side's alignment club plays 20 kilometres away in Cranbourne.
I suppose the 'aints can at least say they have the outer south east of Melbourne covered. With them and the Dawks at what is left of Waverley, the idiots in the AFL have been usurped in their attempts to abandon the fastest growing region of Melbourne.
Cant wait to see where the 'aints go in 30 years time. First Junction Oval, then south east to moorabbin, then south east to franga ... what's next, Rosebud? Maybe then they'll loop around the bay and start coming back via Queenscliff? LOL