We've had a great alliance with Sandringham, in that it's proven very successful on field of the Zebras.

The question is, if we set up a summer training base at Casey Fields (home of the Casey Scorpions VFL side (who are affiliated with St Kilda)) will this affect our alliance with Sandy? If we're based at Casey, and looking to make a push into the region, it makes obvious sense to align ourselves with their VFL side. Actually it's kind of integral.

Have the club given any indication as to how this might pan out? Are Casey bound to St Kilda? And how do our Sandy fans feel about it all?

Someone threw up St Kilda aligning with Franger.

Not sure whether that's even been considered by the parties involved though

Someone threw up St Kilda aligning with Franger.

That's logical given the Sainters move from Moorabbin to Frankston.

St Kilda aligning itself with Sandy makes some geographical sense too.

Yeah straight swap could be a go as well.

Make things interesting next time the 2 sides played each other

I've also heard a flutter of a rumour that the AFL is currently investigating going back to the old fashion reserves system

If the MFC alliance finishes Sandy would be better on their own. St Kilda would be the last team SFC would ever want to join up with as the feeling between the two clubs has always been frosty.St Kilda fans have always had the wrong opinion that ST Kilda and Sandy would be natural buddies when the Saints moved to Moorabbin but the opposite has always been true as St Kinda always treated Sandy like [censored].

Melbourne and Sandringham have always had a good relationship right back to the days of the VFA/VFL.Two Sandy premiership captains Fred Webster and Ross Brewer were former MFC players plus captains Terry Wilkins and Dennis Clark and many other players have come from the MFC.

Only one St Kilda player captained Sandy in Ian Cooper gives you and idea of the lack of intercourse between the clubs..

Yeah straight swap could be a go as well.

Make things interesting next time the 2 sides played each other

I've also heard a flutter of a rumour that the AFL is currently investigating going back to the old fashion reserves system

What the AFL are going to do is to make it cheaper for clubs like Melbourne to field a reserves team if they wish.

Only one St Kilda player captained Sandy in Ian Cooper gives you and idea of the lack of intercourse between the clubs..

And Trevor Barker was forgettable at both clubs wasn't he?

Just makes your repeated comments about Sandy being better on its own without Melbourne so uninformed and silly

It's pretty simple really.

Melbourne and Sandringham will part ways (all good things must come to an end and the Zebras have been good to us and during that time they have won quite a lot of VFL Premierships).

St.Kilda and Casey Scorpians will part ways.

Sandringham will be unaligned or join with another AFL Club (no idea who?).

Melbourne will join with the Casey Scorpians (colours: dark blue, red and white) because we are moving our Summer training base out there to Casey Fields (in the Cranbourne area).

And St. Kilda who have moved their training base from Moorabbin to Frankston will align with the Frankston Dolphins (colours: red, white and black).

It's as easy at that!

Melbourne will join with the Casey Scorpians (colours: dark blue, red and white) because we are moving our Summer training base out there to Casey Fields (in the Cranbourne area).

And St. Kilda who have moved their training base from Moorabbin to Frankston will align with the Frankston Dolphins (colours: red, white and black).

It's as easy at that!

So SD your saying we will finally get "a sting in our tail", whilst the Saints are left "stroking the dolphin"?

It's pretty simple really.

Melbourne and Sandringham will part ways (all good things must come to an end and the Zebras have been good to us and during that time they have won quite a lot of VFL Premierships).

St.Kilda and Casey Scorpians will part ways.

Sandringham will be unaligned or join with another AFL Club (no idea who?).

Melbourne will join with the Casey Scorpians (colours: dark blue, red and white) because we are moving our Summer training base out there to Casey Fields (in the Cranbourne area).

And St. Kilda who have moved their training base from Moorabbin to Frankston will align with the Frankston Dolphins (colours: red, white and black).

It's as easy at that!

I am all for the better development structure at Melbourne but not sure your scenario changes anything

Is their a logistical or money problem with having a stand alone melbourne reserves team ?

I am all for the better development structure at Melbourne but not sure your scenario changes anything

Is their a logistical or money problem with having a stand alone melbourne reserves team ?

Yep Swamp Fox, all jokes aside I think it would be a pretty expensive exercise...as much as I would love to see it.

Does it anyone out there in demonland have an accurate idea of roughly how much it would cost?

I am all for the better development structure at Melbourne but not sure your scenario changes anything

Is their a logistical or money problem with having a stand alone melbourne reserves team ?

As far as I know I think it would be better financially and a lot more convenient to align ourselves with the Casey Scorpians. We are moving our Summer training base to Casey Fields after all.

So SD your saying we will finally get "a sting in our tail", whilst the Saints are left "stroking the dolphin"?

Yes I hope so!!! Good call mate! :D

In my opinion moving our Summer training base to Casey Fields is one of the BEST things the MFC could do! Cranbourne may not be in the City centre of Melbourne but it is STILL a suburb of Melbourne. The fact that it is a "growth corridor" also means there is potential in the long run to gain new MFC members.....all we have to do is start winning some games!

Why should it cost any more to allign with Casey as opposed to Sandy ??

As a local to Sandy i would be sad to see a parting of the ways between Melbourne and the Zebras, but of course that's a selfish viewpoint. If we are going to make Casey a summer training base, it is logical to make our VFL alliance with them and we would be entering a growing community. However at this stage St Kilda are allied with Casey so until that changes Sandringham is the best any team could hope for.

I found this, apparently its from the Frankston Dolphin's site when St. Kilda announced they were moving there.

Whilst most VFL Clubs have an alignment with an AFL Club, Frankston has long held to its position as a stand-alone Club, and remains the only club to have never been involved in an alignment.

“Our arrangement does not include any alignment. We will continue to function independently to represent our great city in the VFL, and St Kilda will remain in their existing relationship. Locally, we will do a number of things together, and many on our own."

Sounds to me Frankston don't want an alliance with anyone. It would have to be up to Casey to get rid of the Saints...

What the AFL are going to do is to make it cheaper for clubs like Melbourne to field a reserves team if they wish.

Ah ok. Wouldn't think (if that was the case) it would be long before they had a reserves league.

Ask any AFL club and they'd tell you they'd prefer a stand along AFL reserves side

And Trevor Barker was forgettable at both clubs wasn't he?

Just makes your repeated comments about Sandy being better on its own without Melbourne so uninformed and silly

He's right RR, there has been a host of players from Melbourne who have gone to Sandy to play or coach.

Trevor Barker was Sandy through and through coming from East Sandringham Boys club and his father was a Sandy fanatic all through Trevors St Kilda carreer hardly missing a game. It was his father who approached the club to appoint him coach.

So I dont class him as a normal ex ST Kilda player coming to Sandy ( btw he NEVER played a game for Sandy) as he was coming Home!

FYI Having been born in Sandringham Ive have been present at ALL of the SFC premierships since 1946 and I do know what I am talking about as far as the SFC goes.