Murray MiddletonThe Big Dance (A Tribute To Robert Harvey)
August 7th 2008 11:23
On Wednesday afternoon Robert Harvey - arguably St.Kilda's best ever player - announced his retirement. Fittingly, Wednesday marked the twentieth anniversary of Harvey's first AFL match. Harvey will be remembered as one of the greats of the modern era, alongside Carey, Hird, Voss and Buckley. Amazingly, Harvey's career began before any of the aforementioned players and it will finish after theirs. This fact alone is testament to the brilliance of Robert Harvey.
Following St.Kilda's round three loss to the Western Bulldogs Dermott Brereton called for Robert Harvey to retire. Brereton said that Harvey resembled a forty year-old man on the football field and suggested that the game had passed him by. Brereton has been left with egg on his face. What little credibility he had left as a football analyst has been put to bed by Harvey's great form in 2008. Harvey is still one of the Saints best players every week. He defies father time. The only respect in which Brereton was right was that Harvey is almost a forty year-old man. He will turn 37 later this month.
Harvey could easily have played on next year. His form over the past five seasons has been great (third best behind Riewoldt and Hayes at the club). He is still a key member of St.Kilda's team. It is rather unfortunate for the Saints that Harvey and Max Hudghton - the club's next oldest player - still hold down such crucial positions in the team. Harvey has started most matches on the bench in 2008, allowing the sting to go out of the contest before he benefits the Saints with his tireless running and evasive ability. It is always admirable for a player to bow out on his own terms. Harvey has witnessed the downside of playing one year too many in the performances of Fraser Gehrig this season.
It is likely that Harvey's mind was made up by events that have taken place in the last two matches. Against West Coast in Subiaco Harvey received a knee to the spine in the first quarter. He played out the match and gained a respectable twenty-four possessions, but the hit took its toll. Last week Harvey was the victim of a heavy tackle by Port Adelaide's Jacob Surjan. Surjan pinned Harvey's arms in a sickening incident that left the Saints champ unconscious (incidentally, there was no malice involved). In typical fashion Harvey returned to the field in the last quarter to play a hand in St.Kilda's victory. None-the-less, he will have felt the hits and realised that his body might not be able to take too many more.
Harvey's prime as a footballer came during the 1997 and 1998 seasons when he won back to back Brownlow Medals. At this point he was the best player in the competition. This coincided with two of the more successful years in St.Kilda's history. During this period Harvey was virtually impossible to tackle. The trick has always been in the way that he swivels his hips, sending his opponents in the wrong direction, and allowing him time to pin-point teammates. Harvey's ability to evade opponents has enabled him to withstand the gradual diminishing of his speed. He remains one of the best short passes in the league. Nick Riewoldt's service will diminish considerably in 2009.
St.Kilda is the least successful club in AFL history. Some consider them the worst club as well. In spite of this they have produced some of the game's great players: Ian Stewart, Darryl Baldock, Tony Lockett, Trevor Barker, Nicky Winmar and, of course, Harvey. There is a compelling case to be made that he is the greatest Saint of all time. He has played at the elite level for twenty-one seasons. It seems like just yesterday that Harvey was tormenteing Geelong in the 1991 elimination final, kicking the ball lace-out to Tony Lockett. To be able to sustain such brilliance over two decades is an incredible achievment; one which will never be done again.
Harvey has an extraordinary record. By season's end he will be third on the list of games played, behind Kevin Bartlett and Michael Tuck. He has collected over thirty disposals in a staggering 118 matches and, on average, polls Brownlow votes once in every three and a half matches. Harvey, alongside Matthew Richardson and Brad Johnson is one of the most liked and respected players in the competition. He has an immaculate discipline record and is a softly-spoken, modest champion. Although the spotlight is often directed at Ben Cousins and Wayne Carey, players such as Harvey are the ones who redeem the game.
There is one medal missing from Harvey's collection: a premiership. When the Saints played off in the 2005 preliminary final it was suggested that Harvey was also representing the likes of Stewart Loewe, Danny Frawley and Nathan Burke. He is the last of a great generation of Saints players. Harvey has said that his greatest football experience was winning the 1997 preliminary final against North Melbourne. He said that it was great to know that the next week he would be attending 'the big dance'. In 2008 St.Kilda MUST do everything within their powers to allow Harvey to attend once more. And if the Saints can get him there, Harvey will have the chance to do what he does best: dance.
Following St.Kilda's round three loss to the Western Bulldogs Dermott Brereton called for Robert Harvey to retire. Brereton said that Harvey resembled a forty year-old man on the football field and suggested that the game had passed him by. Brereton has been left with egg on his face. What little credibility he had left as a football analyst has been put to bed by Harvey's great form in 2008. Harvey is still one of the Saints best players every week. He defies father time. The only respect in which Brereton was right was that Harvey is almost a forty year-old man. He will turn 37 later this month.
Harvey could easily have played on next year. His form over the past five seasons has been great (third best behind Riewoldt and Hayes at the club). He is still a key member of St.Kilda's team. It is rather unfortunate for the Saints that Harvey and Max Hudghton - the club's next oldest player - still hold down such crucial positions in the team. Harvey has started most matches on the bench in 2008, allowing the sting to go out of the contest before he benefits the Saints with his tireless running and evasive ability. It is always admirable for a player to bow out on his own terms. Harvey has witnessed the downside of playing one year too many in the performances of Fraser Gehrig this season.
It is likely that Harvey's mind was made up by events that have taken place in the last two matches. Against West Coast in Subiaco Harvey received a knee to the spine in the first quarter. He played out the match and gained a respectable twenty-four possessions, but the hit took its toll. Last week Harvey was the victim of a heavy tackle by Port Adelaide's Jacob Surjan. Surjan pinned Harvey's arms in a sickening incident that left the Saints champ unconscious (incidentally, there was no malice involved). In typical fashion Harvey returned to the field in the last quarter to play a hand in St.Kilda's victory. None-the-less, he will have felt the hits and realised that his body might not be able to take too many more.
Harvey's prime as a footballer came during the 1997 and 1998 seasons when he won back to back Brownlow Medals. At this point he was the best player in the competition. This coincided with two of the more successful years in St.Kilda's history. During this period Harvey was virtually impossible to tackle. The trick has always been in the way that he swivels his hips, sending his opponents in the wrong direction, and allowing him time to pin-point teammates. Harvey's ability to evade opponents has enabled him to withstand the gradual diminishing of his speed. He remains one of the best short passes in the league. Nick Riewoldt's service will diminish considerably in 2009.
St.Kilda is the least successful club in AFL history. Some consider them the worst club as well. In spite of this they have produced some of the game's great players: Ian Stewart, Darryl Baldock, Tony Lockett, Trevor Barker, Nicky Winmar and, of course, Harvey. There is a compelling case to be made that he is the greatest Saint of all time. He has played at the elite level for twenty-one seasons. It seems like just yesterday that Harvey was tormenteing Geelong in the 1991 elimination final, kicking the ball lace-out to Tony Lockett. To be able to sustain such brilliance over two decades is an incredible achievment; one which will never be done again.
Harvey has an extraordinary record. By season's end he will be third on the list of games played, behind Kevin Bartlett and Michael Tuck. He has collected over thirty disposals in a staggering 118 matches and, on average, polls Brownlow votes once in every three and a half matches. Harvey, alongside Matthew Richardson and Brad Johnson is one of the most liked and respected players in the competition. He has an immaculate discipline record and is a softly-spoken, modest champion. Although the spotlight is often directed at Ben Cousins and Wayne Carey, players such as Harvey are the ones who redeem the game.
There is one medal missing from Harvey's collection: a premiership. When the Saints played off in the 2005 preliminary final it was suggested that Harvey was also representing the likes of Stewart Loewe, Danny Frawley and Nathan Burke. He is the last of a great generation of Saints players. Harvey has said that his greatest football experience was winning the 1997 preliminary final against North Melbourne. He said that it was great to know that the next week he would be attending 'the big dance'. In 2008 St.Kilda MUST do everything within their powers to allow Harvey to attend once more. And if the Saints can get him there, Harvey will have the chance to do what he does best: dance.
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