In an era where running players came to the fore, Robert Harvey was – and to this day, continues to be – acknowledged as the man who could outrun all others.

A superb athlete blessed with innate dodging skills which could extricate him from even the most crowded situations on a football field, Harvey was a sight to behold in a career that spanned 21 seasons. He had the rare touch of magic in the way he could dodge through seemingly impenetrable circumstances and emerge with the ball to set up something further afield.

The slender 16-year-old on debut grew into a strong, compact footballer whose running capacity was so great that few players could tag him for four quarters. Opposing coaches could only alternate taggers on him for a quarter at a time before they became exhausted.

Harvey surpassed Nathan Burke’s all-time games record in 2006, before adding another 59 games to his tally. It was proof of his longevity, and was funnily enough mirrored by his iconic haircut, which remained unchanged throughout his decorated career.

The No. 35 closed out a career few could only dream of, complete with two Brownlow Medals, eight All Australian selections, induction into the Saints’ Team of the Century and status as a Legend of the St Kilda Football Club.