Editing St Kilda Football Club (section)

==== Junction Oval: 1897–1964 ====
St Kilda's first home ground in the [[Australian Football League|Victorian Football League]] was [[Junction Oval]]. The club used this ground until 1964, when it moved to Moorabbin Oval.<ref name=About>{{cite web |title=About |url=https://www.saints.com.au/club/about |website=saints.com.au |access-date=23 October 2021 |language=en}}</ref> The oval was formerly known as the St Kilda Cricket Ground and was originally established as the home of the [[St Kilda Cricket Club]] in 1856.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onmydoorstep.com.au/heritage-listing/117260/st-kilda-cricket-ground|title=St Kilda Cricket Ground (Heritage Listed Location)|publisher=On My Doorstep |access-date=24 October 2021|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150318144239/http://www.onmydoorstep.com.au/heritage-listing/117260/st-kilda-cricket-ground|archive-date=18 March 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.saints.com.au/news/455136/end-of-an-era-no-more-footy-at-junction-oval|title=End of an era: No more footy at Junction Oval|date=21 July 2015|access-date=27 March 2022}}</ref>

By the late 1950s, the St Kilda Football Club sought to move its playing base away from Junction Oval as it wanted to operate its own venue rather than continue being a tenant of another club. In 1959, the club made enquiries about a lease to play at and develop [[Elsternwick Park]] in the neighbouring suburb of [[Elsternwick, Victoria|Elsternwick]], but no deal was signed.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Sun News-Pictorial|date=4 April 1959|page=54|author=Jack Dunn|title=St Kilda to seek new home ground|publication-place=Melbourne}}</ref>

During 2014, St Kilda became involved in discussions with the Victorian government to return as a co-tenant at Junction Oval alongside Cricket Victoria. As part of the proposals, St Kilda would utilise the oval as a training and administrative base, with the site to receive a second oval to accommodate the club.<ref>{{cite news |title=AFL moots Saints return to Junction Oval |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/afl-moots-saints-return-to-junction-oval |access-date=23 October 2021 |work=SBS News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/st-kilda-return-to-junction-oval-back-on-table-20141121-11rlwd.html|title=St Kilda return to Junction Oval back on table|date=21 November 2014|access-date=23 January 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria-state-election-2014/junction-oval-redevelopment-boon-for-cricket-victoria-st-kilda-football-club/news-story/f5779a7d3f7feb9b16c3b1535fc90a4c|title=Junction Oval redevelopment boon for Cricket Victoria, St Kilda Football Club|date=21 November 2014|access-date=23 January 2023}}</ref> This proposal was later rejected by the Victorian government,<ref>{{cite web |title=St Kilda eyes return to Moorabbin after Junction Oval bid silenced by State Government |url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/st-kilda-eyes-return-to-moorabbin-after-junction-oval-bid-silenced-by-state-government/news-story/74312093c263263bb2b319cd733936cb |website=Fox Sports |access-date=23 October 2021 |language=en |date=11 March 2015}}</ref> and Junction Oval was converted into a full-time cricket venue as of 2015.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Connolly |first1=Rohan |title=End of an era for footy at the Junction Oval |url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/end-of-an-era-for-footy-at-the-junction-oval-20150723-gij96p.html |access-date=23 October 2021 |work=The Age |date=24 July 2015 |language=en}}</ref>