5 greatest players in St Kilda history ft Robert Harvey
St Kilda is one of the oldest sporting institutions in the world. It was formed in April 1873 from the disbanded South Yarra Football Club. The South Yarra’s red and white and new St Kilda's black and white was combined to give the club's official red, black and white color.
It's one of the football clubs whose fan base is not as a result of premiership success but pure passion, as they have only won one premiership in their long history. However, they've been bottom of the ladder more times than any other team in the league.
Over the years, many great players have put on St Kilda's red, white and black guernsey. Let's have a look at the five greatest among them.
Five greatest players in St Kilda history ft Robert Harvey
#5 Nick Riewoldt
Riewoldt was the No. 1 pick in the 2000 National Draft and was the AFL Rising Star award winner in the year when he debuted in the league.
He holds the record for most marks (256) in a season, set in 2004. In the same year, he finished in the top-10 contenders for the Brownlow and the Coleman award, also winning the Leigh Matthews trophy and making All-Australian for the first time.
Riewoldt was part of the team that won the Pre-season cup in 2004 and 2008 and also the McClelland trophy in 2009. He holds the record for most Trevor Barker awards won (six) in addition to four more all Australian selections while being St Kilda's leading goalkicker for four seasons. He retired in 2017.
#4 Darrel Baldock
Baldock was a player who was praised by St Kilda's legendary coach Allan Jeans, who claimed that St Kilda never lost if Baldock played well. He was part of St Kilda's most successful era, captaining them to their one and only premiership win.
His phenomenal ball control and technique earned him the nickname ‘Mr Magic’. He played as a centre half forward and was the leading goalkicker four times. He received the Best and Fairest award three times and was an All-Australian twice.
Baldock left St Kilda in 1968 and was captain of St Kilda's team of the century in 2002 and was also initially the ‘legend’ in St Kilda's Football Hall of Fame in 2003.
#3 Ross Smith
Smith, who is regarded as one of the greatest rovers the game had ever seen, was part of St Kilda's sole flag win team. His incredible durability and all-round play made up for his lack of pace.
He received the Brownlow medal in 1967 and was St Kilda's Best and Fairest twice. He was also captain between 1970- 1972. He left St Kilda in 1972 to Subiaco before he returned again in 1975 before finally retiring.
#2 Robert Harvey
Harvey is the record holder for games played at St Kilda and sixth overall with his career spanning 383 games across 21 seasons. He played his first senior game in 1988 against Footscray.
He was known for being ‘untaggable’ as many coaches struggled to put taggers on him. He was also known for his running and superb passing ability. Harvey won two Brownlows in his career, receiving 215 votes, which ranks him second in league history.
He was also an All-Australian eight times, winning his first one in 1992 before he was selected in six consecutive years from 1994- 1999 and finally in 2003. He was also St Kilda's Best and Fairest four times.
Harvey retired as the last VFL/AFL player to play in the ‘80s in 2008. He's a legend in St Kilda's Hall of Fame and was part of their Team of the Century.
#1 Ian Stewart
Stewart was a prolific ball winner whose intelligence helped him maximize his use of the ball.
He was part of the St Kilda team that made Grandfinal in the 1995 season for the first time in 52 years even though they lost. He was part of the team that came again the following season and finally won the first and only flag in St Kilda's history.
Stewart was St Kilda's Best and Fairest twice and made the All-Australian team in 1966. He also won the Brownlow twice with St Kilda before moving to Richmond, where he won one more joining a short list of four players to win it three times. He remains the most recent three-timer and the only one to do it in two different clubs.
He retired in 1975 and was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 1996 and made legend the following year. He's a member of St Kilda's Team of the Century and a Hall of Fame legend.