SMJFL and Saints Extend Partnership to 2028

The South Metro Junior Football League is proud to renew its partnership with the St Kilda Football Club, deepening our shared commitment to growing participation in football at the community level and the development of football pathways in Melbourne’s southeast.

The renewal of this partnership reflects St Kilda’s continued investment in grassroots football and builds on more than nine years of collaboration, including delivering the STK Academy and participation in the AFL Victoria Metro Development Series through the Interleague program.

Photo: Gazza B Photography

The partnership between the SMJFL and St Kilda extends beyond the field with the SMJFL being based in the RSEA Park Community Wing for the past seven years, affording junior footballers and administrators access to state-of-the-art facilities.

St Kilda also assists the SMJFL on its path to reconciliation with First Nations people, including through the delivery of the SMJFL’s Reconciliation Action Plan, and offering the club’s resources for cultural guidance.

Together, the SMJFL and St Kilda remain focused on creating opportunities for young athletes to develop both on and off the field while reinforcing the vital link between grassroots football and the pathway to elite football.

“We welcome the continued commitment of the St Kilda Football Club in supporting the development of junior football in Melbourne’s southeast, and we look forward to building on this strong partnership as we work together to achieve our shared goals,” said SMJFL Chief Executive Officer Jamie Howden.

Matthew Crozier, Academy Pathways Manager at St Kilda Football Club said, “We are excited to continue to develop young talent coming up through the SMJFL, and to continue supporting the league in being able to grow participation in community football in southeast Melbourne.”