Saints in the city

By Sarah Schwager
THE City of Casey has opened its doors to St Kilda as the football club decides whether to move from its Moorabbin home.
But local clubs are adamant they do not want to be booted from the main oval at ratepayer-funded Casey Fields if St Kilda should take up the offer to come to Cranbourne.
Last week, the club announced it would leave its home of 42 years after a fallout with Kingston Council, sparking talks of where it would go.
However this week club president Rod Butterss said the club would renew talks with Kingston officials.
If negotiations fail, the club has highlighted Casey Fields, home of St Kilda’s VFL affiliate the Casey Scorpions, as an alternative base.
Danny Mulqueen, Cranbourne Football Club representative at Casey Fields, said St Kilda’s move to Casey would benefit the whole area.
However, he said that his club could lose between $30,000 and $40,000 a year in gate takings if it was denied the use of oval one for its Saturday games.
“As a club that has served the community for over 100 years, we should be treated with respect,” Mr Mulqueen said.
“We are not against St Kilda, we welcome them, we just don’t want to be cast aside.
“It’s a bit harsh when we’ve been waiting 30 to 40 years for a new ground to give it to someone else. This facility is for local groups as well.”
Casey chief executive Mike Tyler said if it moved St Kilda would only train at the venue during the week.
He said that while holding AFL premiership matches at Casey Fields would be a great benefit for Casey it was a very long way off.
“It is still up in the air at the moment…but if they ultimately decide to leave Moorabbin, there’s all sorts of good reasons for coming to Casey,” Mr Tyler said.
“An AFL presence at Casey would increase community pride, boost local business and sets standards and aspirations for kids playing footy.”
Casey deputy mayor Kevin Bradford said he had emailed the CEO, recommending he absent himself from any further negotiations with St Kilda to alleviate any perceived conflict of interest.
However, lifelong St Kilda fan and club member Mr Tyler denied allegations he had a conflict of interest.
“I am one of half a million people in Australia who are members of a football club,” he said.
“My involvement in getting an AFL club here goes back some time but there was not a particular interest in St Kilda.
He said numerous people had approached him concerned that he had or intended to stand for the board of St Kilda.
“I have never thought of it myself. St Kilda has certainly never approached me.
“I believe they want people on the board who are within the private sector themselves and who would bring money to the club. I wouldn’t be the sort of person they are after.”
In March, the council granted a planning permit to house training and administration headquarters for an AFL club, putting Casey ahead of other possible bases such as Teac Oval in Port Melbourne and Junction Oval in St Kilda.
Cr Bradford said it was exciting to think of the possibility of an AFL club being based at Cranbourne.
“However, I will not support any further council money being spent on assisting the relocation or the construction of certain facilities at Casey Fields,” Cr Bradford said.
“My main concern is the impact this could have on local clubs in Cranbourne and the surrounding neighbourhoods.”