Universally acknowledged as St Kilda's greatest-ever rover, Ross Smith was as game as they come, and feared nothing on a football field.

His impeccable fitness was ahead of his time and he would be running just as hard in the final minute of a game as he had at the start. There were many who doubted that he would be a long-term success because of a perceived lack of pace, but he simply worked harder on his football and general fitness and willed himself to succeed.

His mental application to the game and his willingness to absorb lessons made him one of the best rovers in the league and earned him a Brownlow Medal in 1967.

When he was made captain of the club, it was a tribute to his leadership qualities and universally acclaimed integrity as a person.