ALMOST quarter of a century ago I co-wrote, with Jim Main, a book on Carlton’s 100 Greatest Players.
As publication day drew near, we faced a recurring question “Who is your No.1 player?”
We had not ranked the players and it was a reminder that footy fans have a fascination with rankings. If you doubt that, observe the intrigue with Mike Sheahan’s annual top 50 and the reaction from fans who considered their favorite player has been under-valued.
When I subsequently wrote Heroes with Haloes – St Kilda’s 100 Greatest Players, in 1995, I learned from the lessons of a few years earlier and stuck my neck out to nominate a top 20 in order.
I learned from the exercise that no matter what you do, you can’t please everybody. On the night the book was launched, Ian Stewart, who I had chosen at No.1 , said quietly “It’s a great honour Russell, but you have got it wrong. Darrel Baldock is the best St Kilda player of all time.”
At the time in 1995, Stewart Loewe and Nathan Burke were around about the midpoints of their careers, Robert Harvey was yet to win a Brownlow and we hadn’t even heard of Lenny Hayes who was just 15 years old and Nick Riewoldt, 12.
A lot has happened in the 19 years since Heroes with Haloes was released. Until then St Kilda had played in four Grand Finals across 95 seasons of League football. In just under two decades the Saints have made it to Grand Finals three more times.
St Kilda’s most successful span had been from 1961 to 1973 with finals appearances in eight of the 13 seasons. From 2004 to 2011 St Kilda was a finalist in seven out of eight seasons. In that time St Kilda had a winning ratio of 64 per cent compared with the 62 per cent of the 1961-73 era.
Apart from one obvious exception that makes the 2004 to 2011 era the strongest in the club’s history.
I make that point to justify the fact that I have included so many modern day players in the club’s top eschelon.
In order to add perspective I have also expanded my top 20 of 1995 into a top 25 as of 2014.
Creating this list has made me feel even more ancient. I realised that out of the 25 players I have actually seen 21 in action since I first watched the red, white and blacks at Junction Oval in 1961.
A wide range of factors come into this exercise – brilliance, longevity, leadership, achievements, honours, courage, dedication. None of the 25 lacked any of these attributes so I trust that nobody will feel slighted on their comparative behalf.
I could say that no correspondence will be entered into, but I know that is a futile request.
Russell Holmesby is St Kilda Football Club's official historian.
Players 25-21: Friday December 26
TOP 20 AS AT 1995
1. Ian Stewart
2. Tony Lockett
3. Darrel Baldock
4. Colin Watson
5. Bill Mohr
6. Dave McNamara
7. Carl Ditterich
8. Alan Morrow
9. Harold Bray
10. Verdun Howell
11. Jim Ross
12. Neil Roberts
13. Ross Smith
14. Wels Eicke
15. Vic Cumberland
16. Brian Gleeson
17. Robert Harvey
18. Trevor Barker
19. Daryl Griffiths
20. Kevin Neale
