ST KILDA has escaped penalty for its late arrival onto Etihad Stadium against Melbourne on Saturday.

The Saints rushed into position after running out of the interchange rooms later than usual ahead of the Demons clash, which held up the start of the game.

The League has investigated the circumstances of the Saints' late start, but will not hand the club a fine for its tardiness.  

"The AFL has spoken to the club, but there's no fine," an AFL spokesperson said.

"Basically they've been given a reminder. Yes, it was the first match of the year and they got their timing slightly wrong, which delayed it by 30-45 seconds, and so they basically got a reminder to be exact with their timings."

It didn't stop the Saints from producing a six-goal first term, but their lead was whittled away as Melbourne powered to a 30-point win to open its season.