St Kilda and the AFL have not given up hope of orchestrating a Saints return to the Junction Oval, and will continue to work with the state government, local community groups and Cricket Victoria in a bid to get the Saints back - despite the news that construction work to turn the venue into a cricket-only facility would begin in the new year.
The state government said on Wednesday that it would be fast-tracking funding for the long-proposed redevelopment of the inner-suburban venue, which will see it become a year-round home for Cricket Victoria, and ready to host Bushrangers' Sheffield Shield games by the summer of 2017-18. The Daniel Andrews-led government will fulfil its pre-election promise to give $25 million to the project.
Cricket Victoria's preference, along with that of various local sporting clubs, is to keep the Saints out of the precinct. But the AFL indicated it was not ready to lie down.
"The AFL congratulates the government on the announcement of the Junction Oval project today, and looks forwards to continued discussions with them on the potential for the St Kilda Football Club to be part of the future at the Junction," an AFL spokesman said.
A Saints spokeswoman said the club's sentiments reflected those of the league.
The news that Cricket Victoria would be moving to the Junction by 2017 is a major boon for the AFL, freeing the MCG up for earlier football use. The AFL has sought in recent years to start its season earlier in a bid to keep up with the opening dates of the NRL and Super Rugby Season.
Andrews said on Wednesday that the move for cricket was long overdue.
"We'll always have the MCG, but a new Junction Oval will fill a void and help bring more major events to our state," he said.
Cricket Victoria chief executive Tony Dodemaide concurred.
"Victoria enjoys the highest level of participation in Australia's favourite sport and this long-awaited and greatly needed boost to Victorian cricket will enable it to grow and flourish for generations to come."
At last week's annual meeting, St Kilda chief executive Matt Finnis told members the club would continue to press for a move back to the venue it left at the end of 1964.
The Napthine government had committed to a facility that would have housed the Saints and Cricket Victoria, with St Kilda to train on the adjacent Ian Johnson Oval, with an administrative base also on site. Those plans were dashed, however, after the one-term government lost power at last month's election.
