Roberts was the true footballing hero. But there was much more to Neil Roberts than the fair hair and the tanned good looks.

As a forward in the amateurs he built an impressive goalkicking record, but found consistency elusive in League ranks due to unreliable accuracy. He was transformed into a defender of the highest order, playing at centre halfback and his game blossomed. His long arms hauled in countless marks and his athleticism at ground level generally outpaced opposing centre half-forwards.

Within a year of taking on the defensive role, Roberts became a permanent fixture in the Victorian side and his standing in the game was further enhanced when he won the 1958 Brownlow Medal. For his last five years of League football he was the Club's captain and was a fine leader. St Kilda came to rely on the reassuring sight of Roberts hauling down a finger-tip mark to quell yet another opposition attack.

At the heart of Roberts' game was his fitness and endurance, which were ahead of most players in his era.