St Kilda is set to play its first official men's game at Linton St in 25 years on Sunday.
The Saints' VFL side will be hunting for their first win of the season against Richmond, with 11 AFL-listed players set to line up at RSEA Park.
It's also the first time the club's newly launched state league side will wear its traditional guernsey, having donned the candy stripes in its two games so far.
“It's a historic moment for the footy club so we've leant into that. I still get reminded about the old animal enclosure at Moorabbin and there are so many memories that supporters have got," VFL coach Brendon Goddard told Zero Hanger.
"We've got (assistant coach) Simon Williams who has so many stories that he'll share about the old days when he was a little kid running around at Saints home games. There are plenty of stories to tell to make them aware, but we also don't want to build it up too much, it's just another game."
With the AFL side having a bye, the club is encouraging fans to get down and support, with entry to be free on Sunday and across the season, with the Linton St Cafe, Sanctum and Saints Locker all open.
The match comes after the Saints have competed well in challenging environments across the first fortnight.
St Kilda lost by 44 points to a more seasoned GWS outfit in a Round 1 match interrupted by a lightning delay, before a slow start caused them to play catch-up for the rest of the fixture at an ever-hostile Kinetic Stadium against Frankston.
“We'll stay in the moment and want to continue to improve in the areas we're focusing on," Goddard said.
"We want to give effort and play our way for as long as possible. There will be ebbs and flows but as a whole we want to be really competitive.
"That will take time especially as a young group but the more they're in game situations and under pressure against great opposition, the more the learnings will come."
Second-year AFL Saint James Barrat is coming off his best VFL game, keeping experienced VFL forward Corey Ellison goalless last week, while fellow defender Eamon Armstrong has shown pleasing development in his short time at the club.
Exciting academy graduate Kye Fincher returns after being managed last week, with Liam Stocker, Dan Butler, Hunter Clark, Isaac Keeler, Angus Hastie, Pat Said, Liam O'Connell and Hugh Boxshall also named from the AFL list.
"Having full autonomy across all fields and a lens on everything that was happening at the footy club has been really important this year," Goddard said.
"It did feel a bit disjointed and I'm sure (players) felt that, there were a few coaches who couldn't go down to training during the week, having to leave Moorabbin, having to take off your Saints gear and put on Sandy gear did feel a bit odd - not bad, they're an important part of where the club's been.
"It just felt right to head down that path (of fielding our own team) and it was the best thing for our program.
“Messaging around game plan, culture, expectations, trademarks are on the same page (as the AFL team) and we're driving the same messages in an elite environment that reflects our AFL program and giving these young men an opportunity to thrive in an elite environment.
"(Fostering a one-club environment) was something we talked heavily about before starting our own team.
"That starts with the facilities being shared and wearing the Saints jumper was really important; with respect to Springvale, Casey and Sandringham, we had some guys drafted to St Kilda who never wore the St Kilda jumper so wearing, understanding and honouring the jumper was an important piece."
St Kilda's VFL list lacks experience, with skipper Billy McGee-Galimberti the most experienced player at the level with 30 games.
Among a strong complement of exciting youngsters for Saints fans to track are silky half-back Blake Chambers and powerful forward Oskar Ainsworth, who both trialed for an AFL list spot in the Supplemental Selection Period. The latter is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Marking forward Bailey McKenzie is one to have started the season strongly, while Jayden Davey looked a class above in Round 2, kicking five goals.
The average age of the list in the first fortnight has been a tick over 20-years-old which has informed the club's messaging and strategy.
“We're conscious of developing young guys with AFL traits who are aspirational, to get them in a position we're they're not only on Saints' recruiters' talent board but other teams' too," Goddard said.
"We all feel the responsibility of that so winning is a big part but the development of players and helping them get better is probably most important.
"We're a young team, so we are looking for senior leadership which will come from the AFL-listed guys but it's somewhat addictive seeing young men grow up before your eyes."
McGee-Galimberti will lead out the red, white and black after missing last week with a minor calf injury, while emerging forward Jonah Campigli will miss with a shoulder injury sustained in Round 2.
The first ball up is at 1.05pm.
