AFL call looms on St Kilda-Sandringham VFL alliance

Under their alignment agreement, St Kilda and Sandringham had until the end of May to make a call on 2026. Now it appears out of their hands with their alliance all but over.

The AFL will make a call this week on the VFL alliance between St Kilda and Sandringham with both clubs expecting a split at season’s end.

Under their alignment agreement, the Saints and Zebras had until the end of May to make a call on 2026.

But the AFL stepped in and extended the deadline by a month.

The alliance between Sandringham and St Kilda appears over.

The Saints have told Sandringham they want to run their own VFL team out of Moorabbin next year but they have to wait for the AFL to approve their licence.

It’s understood the league also sought the extra time to assess the structure of the VFL.

Clubs continue to lobby the AFL for a more cohesive VFL season with less byes given clubs have three as well as the week off for the state game.

The St Kilda reserves will increase the numbers of teams to 22 and there’s also the possibility of Tasmania coming in next year.

Tasmania Devils CEO Brendon Gale told the Herald Sun last month the club wanted inclusion in the 2026 VFL season.

One VFL coach, Coburg’s Jamie Cassidy-McNamara, has suggested two divisions with promotion and relegation.

Conferences – one grouping AFL reserves and the other including the former VFA clubs – have also been discussed.

The St Kilda-Sandy alignment began in 2009 and has produced little in the way of finals success or players being drafted.

The Saints did try to bring the clubs together when they announced they would rookie-list a Sandringham player.

The Saints and Zebras have been aligned since 2009. Picture: Michael Klein

But they didn’t go ahead with it, with their recruiters deciding there were no Zebras capable of stepping up to the AFL.

Earlier this year St Kilda went to the Zebras asking for future Sandringham matches to be fixtured at Moorabbin, for the Zebras to wear the St Kilda jumper and for the team to be called Sandringham Saints.

The Sandringham board rejected what it saw as a takeover and the club is preparing to run without an alignment for the first time since 1999.

“In protecting our 96-year history, we are adamant that we remain in our colours, play at our home ground, Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval, and remain as the Zebras,’’ president Nick Johnstone and CEO Mark Wheeler declared in a message to members and supporters.

St Kilda ran a reserves team for one season when the VFL was revamped in 2000, but linked with Springvale (now Casey) 12 months later.