ST KILDA will continue to pursue plans for a training base at Junction Oval by working with the local community in a bid to build support for any potential move.
Newly elected Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews pledged $25 million to the redevelopment of the oval to allow Cricket Victoria to host first-class matches there.
The shift will allow the AFL earlier access to the MCG for the start of the home and away season.
But while the Coalition was committed to allowing the Saints to move there as well, the Labor Government is yet to make the same promise.
ALP victory leaves Saints' Junction Oval plans up in the air
There have been reports the local community isn't entirely on board with the idea of the Saints' proposed relocation, which CEO Matt Finnis says has become their priority in the next phase of their bid to establish a new foothold in the Bayside region.
"It's certainly something we've got an obligation to pursue," Finnis said at the club's AGM on Thursday night.
"Our job at the moment is to consult with the local community and see what the impact it will have, what their views are and whether it will be an opportunity ... or a reality."
Labor's plan to free up MCG for earlier AFL start
Finnis later told AFL.com.au that while the AFL continued to talk to the government about the move, the Saints would ensure they remained in touch with the "local needs and interests of the community".
They will continue to talk to locals through January but were encouraged by the type of discussions that had already happened.
"The responsibility that we have is to engage with the local community, stakeholder groups, sporting clubs, traders and people who have a really strong interest in what is a really important recreational space," Finnis said.
"We think the Saints can add real value to the community in terms of the way we can work with the local schools, sporting clubs and actually provide a home for some of the sporting groups for the disadvantaged people in the area.
"For us, there has been a lot of talk about the Junction at a high level but the job for us is to consult with those local people.
"I think people can see there's a lot of goodwill to the idea."
The club's Moorabbin base remains set for renovation as part of plans to base a stand-alone VFL team there from 2017, as well as establishing a community hub.
The Saints have benefited from a strong focus on membership in recent weeks and are confident they will achieve their target of 25,000 members by Christmas Day.
The campaign "25 by 25" had already seen just over 24,000 sign up or recommit, with the unprecedented figure of 25,000 firmly in the club's sights ahead of next Thursday.
Finnis also said he was confident the club would sign a co-major sponsor by the start of next year.
Saints champion Nathan Burke was re-elected unopposed as a club director for the next three years, having served his full term, while New Zealand-based sports administrator Liz Dawson was officially installed.
One of the biggest cheers of the night came when president Peter Summers mentioned the appointment of club great Danny Frawley to a part-time position coaching the backline.
Frawley started last month and will work with the defenders three days a week.
In other Saints news, forward Arryn Siposs will have exploratory surgery on the shoulder he injured in New Zealand on Monday.
Coach Alan Richardson said he believed the injury wasn't serious, despite it occurring to the same shoulder he needed reconstructed earlier this year.
