SFNL: New St Kilda City president Mel Starr has great hopes for her club

Newly appointed St Kilda City president Mel Starr says the club has an “opportunity to refresh and rebrand” as it looks to recover from a turbulent 2023. Here’s how.

St Kilda v Port Melbourne Colts at Peanut Farm Reserve, St Kilda, Melbourne, April 15th 2023. St Kilda City no 92 rucks against Port Melbourne Colts D Kovacevic. Picture : George Sal

Newly appointed St Kilda City president Mel Starr says the club has an “opportunity to refresh and rebrand” as it looks to recover from a turbulent 2023.

Starr has taken over from Richard Houston, who will remain on the committee as the club’s treasurer.

After a flood of players left earlier this year, the Saints were fighting to survive in the Southern league’s top flight.

They made a focus on bringing in the right people and it remains high on Starr’s priority list for 2024 and beyond.

“With the year we have had, I think there’s now a real opportunity to refresh and rebrand and try to change how we’re perceived in the community,” she says.

“The biggest thing we would like to achieve, and the thing I would like to leave the club as, is in a sustainable way.

“When the club is sustainable there are players coming through, coaches coming through, families who are staying around long-term and the relationships are built back with the junior club, the netball club and the broader community.”

Shem Tatupu was a revelation for the Saints before his knee injury. Picture: George Sal

With the right people around the club, Starr is hoping to ignite a community feel about the Peanut Farm.

“We’ve unfortunately had a fair bit of negative media over the years,” she says.

“I think the thing we really need to focus on is recruiting the right coaching team and players that was to be a part of something bigger than just game day.

“It came out at the AGM that a lot of the community don’t feel welcomed at the club, so that is something that I really want to focus on.

“(We are focusing on) building that club-community where supporters and families feel welcome.”

The Saints are looking for its next coach after Simon Goosey stepped down mid-season. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Starr is aware the strategic plan is no quick-fix, it will take time.

But she is confident that, with the right people on board, the Saints can bounce back.

“It’s definitely not a one-year plan, it’s going to take a couple of years and a couple of years of hard work, no one is tipping a miracle,” she said.

“Money isn’t going anywhere in football, so, for us, creating an environment where players want to stay is critical for the club’s sustainability.

“We don’t want the waves of people in and out, we want to build a club where people are staying for five, six years and then bringing their kids back to play.”

Starr has been in contact with many life members and past players who are in support of the club’s approach and are buying in.