St Kilda under construction for inaugural AFLW season

St Kilda’s spiritual home in Moorabbin is currently undergoing a makeover in preparation for St Kilda’s AFLW team.

Stage one of the redevelopment is expected to be finished in November which will include the museum, club shop and cafe.

The Saints are going through the town planning process with the Kingston City Council to ensure stage two begins shortly after the first project is completed.

The second stage will include a 1000-seat grandstand and pools for community use and is expected to be finished by January 2020, to coincide with the start of St Kilda’s inaugural AFLW season.

St Kilda CEO, Matt Finnis said in an interview: “Hopefully soon (after stage one is done), we will commence construction on stage two and the first piece to happen there will be to commence our AFLW locker room construction so that that can be ready for our AFLW team coming online.”

A $13 million contribution from the Victorian Government helped fund that part of the redevelopment.

“For us to be able to create a venue for women to train alongside men with the same level of facilities, but then also create spectator facilities with a new grandstand, to be able to play Saints footy back here for the start of the AFLW season and hopefully for the JLT pre-season, will be terrific.”

St Kilda’s has also signed a one-year extension with RSEA Safety as the venue’s naming rights sponsor.

“We love partnering with organisations that have got really ambitious goals like us and that are growing their business and their engagement with their customers.

“We’re just thrilled that we’ve been able to help grow their brand, to the extent where they’ve got such confidence in our partnership that they’re keen to extend out.”