AFTER experiencing delays involved with the redevelopment of its Moorabbin site, St Kilda expects to return to its spiritual home by the time the 2018 season kicks off.
The club moved from Moorabbin to Seaford in 2010 but that venue has proven difficult for players, with the training base almost an hour out of Melbourne.
The redevelopment of Moorabbin had initially been hoped to be completed by mid-2017.
St Kilda chief executive Matt Finnis said at the club's annual general meeting on Tuesday night more money would be raised for the project through the pre-season.
"It's taken longer than we would've liked to get to where we are, because of various stakeholders involved to make sure we get this right for the long-term," Finnis said.
"We're going into Christmas really confident that we're going to be in a position to commence demolition and construction very early in the New Year, which will then enable us to get back to Moorabbin if not by this time next year, then certainly very early in 2018.
"There's not too many higher priorities for us right now. We've got a significant capital fundraising program that we look forward to launching in the pre-season."
The Saints are a tenant club at Etihad Stadium and have suffered financially as a result. With the AFL announcing in October it purchased the venue, the Saints stand to have an improved deal.
What that looks like should be determined by the end of next season.
"There's a time frame that's been put in place to renegotiate our match return on stadium arrangements over the next nine months," Finnis said.
St Kilda expects to soon announce a new uniform supplier after ending its deal with BLK. The club signed a three-year deal with BLK in November, only for BLK's parent company, World Rugby Specialists, to go into receivership.
"We've now exercised our rights to terminate our agreement with BLK," Finnis said.
"That's not ideal, but we do so because we're very confident of entering into a new arrangement with a new partner in the New Year."
The club is holding out hope to once again stage matches in New Zealand. Home and away games were played in Wellington in 2013-15 but Auckland looms as the likely venue if games are to be held in the neighbouring country once again.
"There's a fair bit of momentum building behind a significant refurbishment of the Western Springs Stadium in Auckland to create a new home for Test cricket," Finnis said.
"If that can be done, it poses a great opportunity to play AFL.
"Having met with the CEO of the City of Auckland, the head of their stadium authority and the federal sports minister while we were there, there's a lot of interest.
"They've got some logistical steps they've got to work through and we've got to make sure the economics work for us as well, but we're certainly very encouraged by the momentum that's been building."
Board members Paul Kirk, Russell Caplan and Andrew Bassat will continue for the next three years after no one else nominated for the positions.
