St Kilda’s recent trip to Wellington may have not yielded four points but it further cemented an affiliation between the club and the city.

The Saints fell just short of a win over the Brisbane Lions but embraced the Wellington community throughout the week leading up to the game.

St Kilda players, coaches and officials hit the coolest little capital in the world on Tuesday afternoon and immediately embraced everything Wellington had to offer.

On Wednesday, the streets were filled with the red, white and black army as the club spread the word of footy and the Saints to the Wellington locals before a civic reception in the heart of the city.

The team trained at iconic Wellington venues The Basin, Westpac Stadium and The Powerhouse Gym while also taking time to embrace the community and get to know the locals.

While New Zealand based fans relished the chance to see their team up close, there were plenty of Saints fans who made the trip across the ditch as well as Aussie expats who took in a footy fix.

Key St Kilda officials were treated to a special function at the Australian High Comission, while the support was more visible around the corner from the team’s residence at Rydges Hotel when a scaffolding company draped red, white and black banners across a construction site, with a sign saying “Welcome home Joe!” as a tribute to New Zealand scholarship holder Joe Baker-Thomas.

The sign had been put up by Baker-Thomas’ former workmates at Wellington Scaffolding, much to the embarrassment of the 17-year-old from Porirua.

Game day saw a flood of coverage from the local media, and more than 13,000 fans descended on Westpac Stadium to watch an enthralling contest between the Saints and the Lions.

The following day the Saints moved to The Basin reserve once again where they had a fan meet and greet day before heading off to the airport and return home to Melbourne.

Wellington mayor Celia Wade-Brown said the city was embracing football and the Saints and was looking ahead to next year’s clash which will coincide with the centenary of the Gallipoli landing.

“The Anzac Day match was an excitingly-close game that thrilled the crowd. Our partnership with St Kilda is a demonstration of partnership and opportunity across the Tasman. We’re united in our desire to ensure next year’s event grows local and Australian attendance.”