TWENTY years go, St Kilda historian Russell Holmesby documented his top 20 Saints of all time. Before the days of social media and comment streams at the foot of online articles, the list wasn't as widely publicised as it would have been in today's world.

Since then, the Saints have played in four Grand Finals and produced some of the greatest players of the modern era, leading Holmesby to extend his list by five.

This is Russell Holmesby's top 25, rankings 15-11. 

Click HERE to view the original top 20.

Click HERE to view players ranked 25-21.

Click HERE to view players ranked 20-16.

COMING SOON: Russell Holmesby's 10-6 rankings. Monday January 5.

15. Neil Roberts (12)
Born: June 15, 1933
Debut: Round 13, 1952
Games: 169
Goals: 40
Height: 185cm
Weight: 81kg

Recruited from Melbourne High School Old Boys, Roberts provided one of the most famous cases of a failed forward making the grade as a defender. After his first two and a half seasons it seemed he was going nowhere as a footballer, but a switch to centre half-back changed the course of his football. His long arms hauled down countless marks and started attacks from the backline.

He established himself as a star in 1955 winning the club's best and fairest and a place in the state team. He also finished third in the Brownlow and from that moment never looked back. His blond hair, good looks and perfect build made him a media favorite.

Prior to the 1958 season he concentrated on running rather than swimming over the summer and he had a great season. Roberts was an inspiring leader deputising for the injured Brian Gleeson, and won the Brownlow by two votes. He was appointed skipper in 1959 and remained leader until he retired at the relatively young age of 29.

Not the greatest kick of all time, but he made up for it with his marking. Roberts led St Kilda into the finals for the first time in 1961 after 22 years on the sidelines. He played 11 games for Victoria and was an All-Australian in 1958.

He became a well-respected commentator and was sometimes mentioned as a possible League coach, but always declined.

Neil Roberts in the early 2000s.

14. Jim Ross (11)
Born: October 18, 1927
Debut: Round 1, 1946
Games: 139
Goals: 171
Height: 185cm
Weight: 80kg

A classy forward, Ross was recruited from Ringwood. He was a genuine footballer of quality in an era where St Kilda had few players of worth. Ross played centre half-forward and ruck and intelligently palmed the ball to his rovers.

He was almost lost to St Kilda in 1949 when South questioned his residential qualifications, but the protest was eventually dropped. Ross won three best and fairests at St Kilda - in 1949, 1951 and 1952 - a total exceeded only by Bill Cubbins and Robert Harvey. He played for Victoria four times and left a huge gap when he took up a coaching post in Tasmania at the age of only 26.

Playing for his new state in 1958 he won All-Australian selection. Ross topped the Saints' goalkicking with 34 goals in 1954.

13. Verdun Howell (10)
Born: June 16, 1937
Debut: Round 13, 1958
Games: 159
Goals: 59
Height: 179cm
Weight: 80kg

A great full-back whose dashing, attacking style was ahead of its time. St Kilda signed him at 17, but he refused to leave Tasmania for two years then a clearance wrangle delayed his start in 1958. He had been mainly a half-forward in Tasmania, but had shown promise as a half-back in 1957 and coach Allan Killigrew decided to use him in the problem spot at full-back when he finally won a clearance late in 1958.

He played only six games that year, but in 1959 he was an instant star and made the state side for the first of many times. In that momentous season he grabbed the headlines when he went absent without leave from the army to play for St Kilda against Fitzroy. He was a glorious kick, but it was his marking that provided many highlights captured by photographers.

At the end of the 1959 Brownlow Medal count he was tied with Bob Skilton on 20 votes, and the Swan star won on a countback. It was part of St Kilda folklore that he may have won outright if he had not been played in the centre in the final game. Thirty years later the VFL awarded him a retrospective medal.

He reigned supreme as the state's number one full-back until 1965 when selectors swapped him with full-forward Bob Murray. His natural skill meant that he made a good fist of the new job and he kicked nine goals in a game against Hawthorn in 1965. Vice-captain to Darrel Baldock for six seasons, he almost missed his dream of a St Kilda flag when his jaw was broken before the finals, but when the club won the flag he was there on a half-back flank.

He won the club best and fairest in 1959. He later coached Richmond reserves and in WA.

Verdun Howell was a dashing and strong defender.

12. Harold Bray (9)
Born: July 5, 1920
Died: June 27, 1999
Debut: Round 1, 1941
Games: 156
Goals: 15
Height: 178cm
Weight: 76kg

Bray was a magnificent footballer originally from Prahran who was desperately close to winning three Brownlow Medals. He was runner up in 1947 (by two votes), third in 1949 by three votes and third again in 1952. Pasty faced and lightly built, his nervousness before a game was legendary, but once the game got under way there were few centremen who could match him for courage, tenacity and skill.

Early on in his career he was used as a half-back flanker and winger before he made his name in the middle. He was known as football's quiet man as he never spoke other than in a soft drawl. There was a famous story of the day Charlie Sutton hammered him three times in a row and each time he bounced up to take his kick.

In the end Sutton gave up. Bray had perfect disposal and was a precision ballhandler. Like most top footballers he was lightning fast over the first five metres.

Bray won the club's best and fairest in 1945 and 1947. After one year as captain in 1948 he stood down from the position saying he would be more advantage to the team as "an ordinary player". He retired after finishing third in the Brownlow at the age of 31.

At one stage his career came to a halt when he was out for a season because of a knee injury, but he went on to play for Victoria six times.

11. Alan Morrow (8)
Born: November 9, 1936
Debut: Round 3, 1957
Games: 163
Goals: 151
Height: 183cm
Weight: 89kg

A broad-shouldered, strong-legged and big-hearted ruckman who was one of the League's best despite being just on six feet tall. He attacked the ball regardless of what was in his path and was remarkably consistent. Morrow was a tremendously hard worker and was as tough as nails.

RELATED: Before Hayes there was Morrow

It was little wonder that St Kilda fought so hard to gain the services of Morrow and his mate Bill Stephenson from Sale. St Kilda offered a big financial inducement to Sale and the illegal offer was tape-recorded which caused a huge controversy. Brian Gleeson said after Morrow's first game he was the best ruck partner he ever had, but sadly Gleeson's injury meant that the partnership only lasted for part of a season.

Morrow carried the burden for the Saints until the arrival of Carl Ditterich, but he remained a vital cog for St Kilda. This was illustrated in the 1965 grand final when he broke a bone in his foot early in the game and his absence led to St Kilda's loss. A year later, with Ditterich suspended, Morrow rose to the task in the premiership win.

It was appropriate that in the last minute when Bob Murray kicked to safety that he looked for Morrow, the side's bulwark. It was his last game for the Saints and he crossed to VFA club Dandenong as coach.

 FEATURE: Before Hayes there was Morrow.

Alan Morrow and Ross Smith in 2013.