'Plugger’, ‘Banger’, ‘Spida’ and ‘Buckets’ said it all.
This was a decade of larger-than-life characters and even bigger moments.
Over the next fortnight, we're taking a trip down memory lane to celebrate the ‘90s as part of our new Through the Ages series.
Here are our contenders for a spot in the 1990s Team of the Decade midfield.
Robert Harvey
Games: 383
Career: 1988-2008
Accolades: 2 x Brownlow medallist (1997, 1998), 8 x All Australian (1992, 1994-1999, 2003), 4 x Trevor Barker Award winner (1992, 1994, 1997, 1998), 8 x Victorian representative, 3 x E.J. Whitten medallist, AFLPA MVP (1997), St Kilda Team of the Century inductee, St Kilda Hall of Fame inductee
The supreme definition of consistency: Robert Harvey.
The dual-Brownlow medallist’s 21-year career for the Saints never faltered, racking up disposals as readily he did accolades.
Highly regarded for his elite running ability and class with the short ball, the club’s games record-holder seamlessly slots into the best team of both the 1990s and the 2000s.
Nathan Burke
Games: 323
Career: 1987-2003
Accolades: 3 x Trevor Barker Award winner (1993, 1996, 1999), 11 x Victorian representative, 2 x All Australian, St Kilda Team of the Century inductee, St Kilda Hall of Fame inductee, St Kilda Hall of Fame Legend (2019)
Courageous, tough and one of the most legendary Saints to ever represent the Crest.
Nathan Burke was the cornerstone of St Kilda’s midfield throughout the 1990s, with his fearless style of play and great leadership sculpting the red, white and black into an impressive force.
The hard-as-nails rover held the record for the most games ever played by a Saint, before the awe-inspiring record was surpassed by his great mate, Robert Harvey.
Nicky Winmar
Games: 230 (St Kilda), 21 (Western Bulldogs)
Career: 1987-1998 (St Kilda), 1999 (Western Bulldogs)
Accolades: 2 x Trevor Barker Award winner (1989, 1995), St Kilda leading goalkicker (1988), 2 x All Australian (1991, 1995), St Kilda Team of the Century inductee, St Kilda Hall of Fame inductee, Indigenous Team of the Century inductee
The mercurial Nicky Winmar was simply in a league of his own.
Fast as lightning, deadly by foot and armed with an extraordinary leap, the iconic No 7 awed the faithful across his 12 seasons in the red, white and black.
His partnership with Tony Lockett up forward stands as one of the best in the league’s history, while he wasn’t averse to booting a few of his own – 317 in fact.
Winmar became the first indigenous play to conquer the 200-game milestone and is rightly remembered as a champion of the club and the game.
Andrew Thompson
Games: 221
Career: 1997-2007
Selected: Pick No 62, 1996 National Draft.
Accolades: Trevor Barker Award (2000), 2 x Victorian representative
Andrew Thompson proved you could make it to the elite level if you had the determination.
His was virtually unmatched, overcoming both early injury and form troubles to earn a regular spot in the Saints’ midfield.
The Trevor Barker Award winner’s gritty style, ferocious tackling and trademark smothering served the Saints well in his 221-game career, before continuing his service on the club Board.
Gilbert McAdam
Games: 53 (St Kilda), 58 (Brisbane Bears)
Career: 1991-1993 (St Kilda), 1994-1996 (Brisbane Bears)
Selected: Pick No 17, 1989 VFL Draft
Accolades: 1 x Queensland-Northern Territory representative (1993), 1 x South Australian representative (1991)
Gilbert McAdam’s coolness under pressure and knack for being one step of the play made him as a fan-favourite Saint during the early 1990s.
McAdam was deceptively quick along with the wings, with his best performance coming in that generation-defining day at Victoria Park in 1993 where he kicked five goals.
The speedy wingman finished his career at the Brisbane Bears after three seasons with the Saints.
Rod Keogh
Games: 22 (Melbourne), 60 (St Kilda)
Career: 1989-1993 (Melbourne), 1994-1998 (St Kilda)
Selected: Pick No. 27, 1988 VFL Draft
The big, burly on-baller was a fan-favourite throughout the mid-1990s.
Rod Keogh crossed over to the Saints after four years with the Demons, with his team-lifting qualities spurring the side on to several memorable moments.
Keogh also proved he was more than capable on the half-forward flank across his four years at Moorabbin.
Tim Pekin
Games: 107 (Fitzroy), 112 (St Kilda)
Career: 1984-1989 (Fitzroy), 1990-1995 (St Kilda)
After being cut by the ailing Fitzroy, the consistent and hardworking Tim Pekin forged a name for himself at Moorabbin.
Although he was able to play in a variety of positions, Pekin did his best work as a ruck-rover.
Pekin achieved the remarkable feat of playing 100 games for two clubs.
David Sierakowski
Games: 93 (St Kilda), 10 (West Coast)
Career: 1994-2000 (St Kilda), 2001-2003 (West Coast)
Selected: Father-son selection, 1992 National Draft
Accolades: West Australian representative (1998)
The sweeping expanses of Waverley Park allowed David Sierakowski to flourish throughout the mid 1990s.
After taking some time to develop, Sierakowski switched from his defensive role into a versatile wingman and worked his way into a regular contributor to the side.
Sierakowski was traded to West Coast in 2000 as part of the trade that brought Fraser Gehrig to Moorabbin.
His father, Brian, was one of St Kilda’s Premiership heroes from 1966.
Dean Anderson
Games: 83 (Hawthorn), 67 (St Kilda)
Career: 1988-1992 (Hawthorn), 1993-1996 (St Kilda)
Accolades: 2 x Victorian representative, 2 x Premiership player (1989, 1991)
After crossing over from the Hawks after two Premiership successes, Dean Anderson became a mainstay of the on-ball brigade for the next four years.
A tireless runner able to play along the half-forward flank, Anderson was a solid force for the red, white and black before retiring in 1996.
He currently sits on the Club Board as Director of Football.
Dean Rice
Games: 116 (St Kiolda), 118 (Carlton)
Career: 1987-1993 (St Kilda), 1994-2001 (Carlton)
Selected: Pick No 15, 1996 National Draft.
Accolades: 2 x Victorian representative, Premiership player (1995)
A strong and no-nonsense winger, Dean Rice proved himself as a highly serviceable player during his tenure at Moorabbin.
A knee injury in 1992 forced the cash-strapped Saints to move Rice on to Carlton, where finished his career with a further 118 games and a Premiership.
Brett Bowey
Games: 85
Career: 1988-1994
Brett Bowey often slid under the radar.
But the small and courageous rover proved his importance across his 85-game career, with plenty of goals to boot.
Bowey went on to enjoy a successful career for the Chelsea Football Club in the Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League after his retirement at AFL level.
Frank Coghlan
Games: 109
Career: 1986-1992
Frank Coghlan was one of the Saints’ first ball-magnets of the 1990s.
Making his debut at 23 in 1986, the productive utility battled through the dark days before becoming a major player in the drought-breaking finals series of 1991.
Coghlan played 109 games for the club across seven seasons.
