Amongst St Kilda fans, debate will always rage about the club's greatest player. Who's the best Saints' player to ever pull on a jumper? What about the greatest player of the last 20 years? Who, of the current players, has the most impressive career so far?
Picking just one player for each of these categories is a near impossible task, so we've decided to create a new player altogether. After today, SAINTS.com.au will have created the ultimate Saint.
Last week we put up nominations for the ultimate Saint’s left foot, right foot, speed, agility, arms, hands, strength and heart.
Today we are focusing on top of the head, more specifically the brain and the haircut.
To select the Ultimate Saint’s brain we have put up some of the smartest footballers to have turned out in the red, white and black while the haircut section takes a lighter look at some of the more interesting haircuts to have come through the club.
Ultimate Saint's Brain?
Ian StewartAn incredibly intelligent footballer who always worked at the finer points of his game. Stewart's quick decision-making and vision set him apart from his contemporaries and helped him on the way to winning three Brownlow medals. | |
Darrel BaldockTo be a 179cm centre half-forward, you need something else in the repertoire and Baldock was a class above many of his much bigger opponents. He had an intuition with fellow Tasmanian Stewart that no rival team could crack | |
Leigh MontagnaA thoughtful student of the game, Montagna has a wealth of understanding about football and a detailed knowledge of the game's history, tactics and strategies that could one day lead him down a coaching path. | |
Ross SmithLike his 1966 premiership winning teammate Baldock, what Smith lacked in physical attributes he made up for in football smarts. Not an overly quick rover, Smith was blessed with a quick mind and was once quoted as saying anticipation was one of the most valuable assets a footballer could have. | |
Neil RobertsThe enduring image of Roberts from his playing career is that of VFL golden boy – the youngster with the charismatic charm and Hollywood looks. But he also possessed a sharp football brain that complemented his athleticism. He was a deep thinker on all matters football - to the point that his headstrong ways often made him clash with coach Alan Killigrew. |
Ultimate Saint's Haircut!?
Robert HarveyThe only thing more amazing than Harvey's longevity in football was the fact he managed to keep the same haircut for 21 consecutive years. There was nothing particularly stylish or fashionable about it, but he gets a nomination through sheer consistency. | |
Fraser GehrigA cult hero at the Saints, whose two Coleman medals were a key reason behind the Saints' high ladder finishes in the middle of the decade. As memorable as his goal kicking was the breathtaking mullet that became his signature. | |
James GwiltGwilt burst on to the scene in 2005 with an afro that almost seemed a throwback to the 1970s disco era. Since then, Gwilt's hairstyle has varied in size and body, but it was never more impressive than in his first few games for the Saints. | |
Peter EverittOne of the best ruckmen of his time, Everitt's constantly changing hairstyle was a constant source of entertainment throughout his time at the Saints. Initially just a simple short back and sides, Everitt went down the path of dreadlocks before adding peroxide rinse to what was already a unique haircut. He eventually went back to a more traditional haircut before going back to the natural look for his time at Hawthorn and the Sydney Swans. | |
Mick DwyerThe other end of the spectrum from Gwilt and Roberton's flowing mane was Dwyer who seemed to lose his hair at a rapid rate from his early 20s. But what he had lost up the front, he held on to up the back with flowing locks hanging out the back. |