The Robert Harvey tale began at Whitten Oval nearly 30 years ago when a 16-year-old ran out for the first of his 383 appearances in red, white and black.
Now, the story has added another glossy layer, with the champion midfielder to be elevated as an official ‘legend’ in the St Kilda Hall of Fame.
He will be announced as just the eighth St Kilda ‘legend’ at the ‘Hall of Fame and 1966 Premiership Anniversary Celebration’ dinner on Saturday 9th April at Crown.
From that debut out at Footscray, until he called time on his brilliant career following St Kilda’s preliminary final exit in the 2008 final series, Harvey provided generations of Saints worshippers with an overwhelming amount of pleasure.
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His football CV unravels like a vintage scroll, with his phenomenal list of achievements archiving cherished moments in time. Back-to-back Brownlow medals in 1997 and 1998 sit at the top of the list, alongside ten top-three best and fairest finishes, including four Trevor Barker Award’s, as well as eight All-Australian guernseys.
A humbled Harvey told saints.com.au he was honoured to be held in such elite esteem by the club he loves and amid company he can’t believe he was fortunate enough to be exposed to during his career, let alone sit alongside as a St Kilda ‘legend’.
“It’s a huge honour. A few years ago now I was inducted into the St Kilda Hall of Fame, that was a great honour, so to be amongst names that have been through the club, you still don’t get used to it,” Harvey said.
“To be elevated to players like Ian Stewart, Tony Lockett, Darrel Baldock, they’re names that I still don’t get a grasp of.
“I was lucky enough to play footy with ‘Plugger’, I was coached by ‘Doc’ Baldock, for me they’re still names that you don’t get used to. So for me, it’s a huge honour.”
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Harvey’s glittering career earned a collection of accolades, but with his three children too young to properly experience his playing days, the 44-year-old looks forward to sharing his elevation with Connor, Remi and Alyssa, as well as his wife Danielle.
“I’m really looking forward to the night and having my family there. My kids are getting older now, they don’t remember much of my games, but to have them there for an occasion like that is going to be really special,” Harvey said.
Football clubs are transient in nature with former club greats moving to other clubs in different roles following their playing days. Harvey is no different, currently working beneath Nathan Buckley at Collingwood in an assistant coaching position.
But no matter how much time passes since he was carried off the MCG in 2008, and moves into different roles along his journey, Harvey says his bond with St Kilda will never be altered.
“To spend so much time at one place and to put so much love in to one place it’s never going to leave you,” Harvey said.
“It’s always great to go back and obviously I’m in a different role at a different club so you’ve got your head in that as well but that part of me will never be gone.
“And to always go back and see old faces that I haven’t seen for a long time it’s a fantastic feeling and I’m looking forward to it.”
