Allan Jeans once said that when Darrel Baldock played well, St Kilda never lost. It is a testament to his level of performance that his presence helped largely to create the Saints’ most successful era.

He was dubbed ‘Mr Magic’; an appropriate title for someone blessed with incredible ball control and evasive skills. To be under six foot tall and play at centre half-forward is proof of his greatness, but while most references to him concentrate on his unique ball-handling skills, his toughness should never be forgotten.

He entered VFL football in a blaze of publicity. At 23, he had already captain-coached Tasmania and skippered the state side in the 1961 Carnival before the Saints secured his services.

Baldock was appointed captain in just his second year and with fellow Tasmanian Ian Stewart, formed an irresistible combination. His heroics would be enshrined not only in the 1966 Grand Final, but in the final home-and-away outing of the year which got the Saints into September.

The idolised Saint with blonde locks, Hollywood looks and a penchant for spectacular marks was one of St Kilda’s favourite sons, not just for the brilliance of his football, but also for the way in which he stuck with the club through thick and thin.

After 230 games and just 60 wins amid one of the club’s most desolate eras, he never played in a final. Despite being thrown many lucrative offers to join rival clubs through his time, Barker’s loyalty never wavered. He was one of, if not the most, devoted player to ever represent the Crest; the physical embodiment of Strength Through Loyalty.

Barker’s signature action was the superb leap over a pack that held no fear of the fall to earth that followed, which captured both the hearts of Saints fans and the shutters of photographers. It is often forgotten that he was also an outstanding tackler and excelled in that part of the game. In a struggling side he was often called upon to fill the roles of far bigger players, but his natural gifts would have made him an even greater half-back flanker if he had been allowed to stay in that position rather than constantly plug holes elsewhere.

Barker's tragic passing from colon cancer in 1996, aged just 39, rocked the Saints, but his everlasting legacy of strength, loyalty and kindness live on.

From the moment he arrived at St Kilda Nathan Burke was identified as a natural leader and potential captain.

The helmeted hero was earmarked for greatness from virtually the moment he arrived at the club, and he never let anyone down in that regard. His versatility was demonstrated across his illustrious 323-game career through his ability to star as a winger, back-pocket, midfielder and forward. Burke was a natural leader – before and after his time as captain – and led by example through his toughness and bravery.

Burke's attack on the ball was without equal. The No. 3’s career was one of remarkable durability and aptitude for coming up trumps week after week, despite carrying injuries that would put others on the sidelines. Heavy knocks did take their toll and incidents of blurred vision led to the fierce competitor donning the helmet that became his signature look.

He held the all-time games record for the club before it was surpassed by his good mate, Robert Harvey, in 2006, but is in elite company as an official Legend of St Kilda, a three-time Best & Fairest and Australian Football Hall of Fame inductee.

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 and 383 games. 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.

Put simply, Allan Jeans is football royalty.

Jeans’ appointment as senior coach age of just 27 brought sweeping changes to St Kilda, instigating its most sacred era and putting an end to the longest Premiership drought in VFL/AFL history. ‘Yabby’ is widely regarded as one the most gifted orators ever to grace our game. His words still ring in the ears of noted football greats; from the spine-tingling three-quarter time Grand Final address with St Kilda, to the “pay the price” speech which delivered Hawthorn the famed 1989 flag.

Those who saw ‘Yabby’ as player described him as a sturdy battler with a sharp football brain that was often too fast for those around him. The same applied while in the coaching hotseat. Famously, Jeans once declared the Saints “could have gone harder” after keeping Richmond goalless for an entire a game – a feat last achieved in 1921.

It was the uncompromising mentality and insatiable hunger to succeed that would put the Saints on the road to Premiership glory over the next few years. Jeans retired in 1976, before making a return by way of Hawthorn to lead them to another three Premierships.

There was only one Tony Lockett.

The player of his generation, the big full-forward from North Ballarat with vice-like hands was a deadly kick for goal, and when coupled with his pace off the mark and body strength, made him an unstoppable force. ‘Plugger’ became the greatest goalkicker in the sport’s history (1360 goals) and was dubbed “the Bradman of our game” by his great mate, Danny Frawley.

Plugger was the definition of inspiration and intimidation. His deceptive mobility was exceptional for someone of his huge physique, and allied with his innate goal-sense, were attributes that set him apart from the rest. The sight of ‘Plugger’ on the lead was one that brought joy to a privileged generation of fans, even amid a victory-starved era. For Saints, it was a dream to see him. For opposition defenders, an absolute nightmare.

With Lockett up one end and Frawley up the other, St Kilda’s line-up for the next decade was one that would consistently bring fans through the turnstiles. A footballing colossus, Lockett crossed to Sydney at the end of 1994 and eventually became the competition’s highest ever goalkicker with 1360 majors in 281 games.

The invincible performances of Bill Mohr ushered in St Kilda’s most optimistic era since its formation some 50 years prior.

The powerhouse forward led the club’s goalkicking from 1929-1940, slotting an almighty 735 goals across his 195 games in the red, white and black. Mohr became the first St Kilda player to kick 100 goals in a season – taking out the League Goalkicker Medal in 1936 – and remains just one of three Saints to achieve the remarkable feat.

Mohr's incredible goalkicking was a sight to behold. The boy from Wagga Wagga could boot goals from any angle, mastering the art from any distance, position or in-game predicament through any variety of kick.

Like his successor Tony Lockett would in later years, Mohr had the capacity to provide a spark of hope to Saints fans on even the darkest of days. Likewise, he became one of the most outstanding full forwards in an era noted for producing the greatest batch of goalkickers in the game’s history.

Neil Roberts was the true footballing hero. But there was much more to him 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 half-back and his game blossomed.

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.

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 streets ahead of others of his era, 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.

Such was his standing, the gentleman Smith was hand-picked by the VFL to sit next to Queen Elizabeth II to explain the many bizarre quirks and oddities of Australian Rules Football during one of Her Majesty's visits down under.

Ian Stewart was a classy footballer who never looked to be under pressure. Yet he was truly the embodiment of the duck on the pond, whose visible image looked calm yet underneath he would be paddling furiously.

Stewart moved to Victoria with the hope of joining fellow Tasmanians Darrel Baldock and Verdun Howell at St Kilda, but when other clubs knew he was in town he was besieged with offers. The shy 18-year-old was reluctant to even ask for a training jumper so he went out and purchased one for himself.

In 1965, he had to cope with the unexpected pressure of being the Brownlow Medal winner in a team on top of the ladder. His second Brownlow, in 1966, established his undisputed standing in the game, before his third in 1971 - won while at Richmond - entrenched him as one of the game's immortals.

Stewart has always believed that there was an underlying force behind St Kilda’s 1966 success. The unity in creating a new home base at Moorabbin from 1965 helped build cohesion and team spirit.

Although quietly spoken and never exceeding anything other than a soft drawl, Harold Bray let his football do the talking.

A tenacious and adept on-baller amid a victory-starved period for St Kilda, Bray finished on the dais in three Brownlow Medal counts (1947, 1949, 1952) and won two club Best & Fairests (1945, 1947) across his decorated career. Had just one Brownlow Medal gone his way, the talk around Bray would be vastly different.

Pasty faced and lightly built, his nervousness before a game was in another league, but once the game got underway there were few centremen who could match him for courage, tenacity and skill.

After one year as captain in 1948, he stood down from the position saying he would be more advantage to the team as "an ordinary player". With three podium finishes at the Brownlow Medal count however, Bray's career was simply extraordinary.

Although he'll forever be remembered for his match-winning point in the Grand Final, Barry Breen was an exceptional all-round footballer.

He played predominantly at centre half-forward, but also excelled on a flank or as a ruck-rover. Late in his career, he performed at full-back with distinction. His most telling traits were the ability to grab a mark in a tight pack and burst clear; characteristics he carried all throughout his 300-game career in red, white and black.

Breen's career saw him rub shoulders with some of St Kilda's absolute greats, however he just as much of a star in his own right. His longevity through both the Saints' highest peaks and lowest ebbs speak volumes, and are at the heart of his standing in the club's record books.

While so often the likes of Tony Lockett, Trevor Barker and Danny Frawley are talked about as the key heroes of the victory-starved 1980s, Greg Burns was just as consistent amid an era of hardship.

For a man who craved a laid-back lifestyle off the field, he played football with a ruthlessness that was awesome. Not only was he a supremely tough individual, he was blessed with perfect ball-winning skills that made him one of the competition’s best centremen of the 1980s.

In addition to being a dual Best & Fairest winner, Burns won the highly coveted World of Sport Player of the Year award in 1983.

A person who readily smiled about life off the footy field, he admitted he never joked on the field, and believed that if he never said much, nobody knew what he was thinking.

What Gary Colling lacked in natural talent, he made up for in sheer perseverance and ferocious endeavour.

The Frankston product was a tough and uncompromising footballer who gave St Kilda tremendously loyal service in a career spanning 14 years and 265 games. A revered tagger and defender throughout the 1970s, his style of play embodied a never-say-die attitude that complemented the Saints of the time.

Colling was handed the captaincy in 1978, and although the choice was a controversial one at the time, his team-first mentality and aggressive mindset proved to be a uniting force.

His involvement with the Saints didn’t stop after he retired in 1981 as he then went on to coach the under 19s, the reserves and hold down a full-time administration job at the club.

Resolute and strong-minded, Bill Cubbins slots into a unique and near-unmatched niche of St Kilda’s history.

Across his three stints at the Saints which spanned over three decades, the fine full-back won four Best & Fairests; only surpassed by Nick Riewoldt (six) in later years. Famously, Cubbins booted 22 goals in a reserves game to swiftly be recalled to the senior line-up.

There was no going to the seconds when Cubbins was in charge of St Kilda, first during his six seasons as captains before adding the coaching role to his repertoire while in his last season in red, white and black.

When it comes to classy players, Nick Dal Santo is just about at the top of the list.

Dubbed the ‘Smooth Mover’ for his innate ability to extricate himself from the most congested of situations, Dal Santo represented the Saints for 260 matches between 2002-2013, before closing out his career at North Melbourne with a further 62 games across three years.

A core part of St Kilda's star-studded midfield of the 2000s, the No. 26 was awarded three All-Australians (2005, 2009, 2011) during his illustrious career and even finished second in the Brownlow Medal count of 2011.

His influence on the club looms large even after his retirement, with Dal Santo currently the club's AFLW Senior Coach to develop and nurture a new generation of red, white and black stars.

Starting his VFL career as a tall, raw youngster, Jack Davis soon found his niche as an accomplished centre half-back.

While his foot-skills weren't as polished as others around him, his cleanliness by hand and ability to soar for a high mark was exceptional. Among his many accolades were three Best & Fairests in the space of just four years, Victorian representation on 10 separate occasions and even a third-placed finish in the 1933 Brownlow Medal.

Davis is one of just a handful of Saints to snare three or more Best & Fairests, entrenching himself as one of the club's most decorated players.

From the moment he made one of the most dazzling debuts in league history, Carl Ditterich was one of the biggest stars of the game.

He possessed that rare and indefinable quality – presence – and whenever he was on the field, the rest of the side walked tall. The 'Blonde Bombshell' was a natural athlete and combined the height of a ruckman with the pace and agility of a ruck-rover.

For Saints fans, Ditterich's appeal lay in the fact that he took a backward step for no-one and tackled the game head-on. It was amazing that he overcame his childhood disability of knock knees, yet it forged in him a grim determination to overcome adversity.

Serious ankle problems hampered him in later years, but nothing could stop the 'Blond Bombshell' over a League career spanned almost two decades between his two stints at both St Kilda and Melbourne. He was an exciting and controversial footballer from start to finish, and made a rich contribution to the club's history.

Ian Drake was happy to play the background role in his three-decade career at St Kilda, but he was always a driving force.

His first link with St Kilda came when he was secretary for the City South Club in Tasmania as the Saints negotiated with the club for Verdun Howell’s clearance.

Drake made such a great impression on Graham Huggins that the latter sought his services as club secretary – the role we know today as CEO. Drake joined the Saints in 1958, beginning the respected administration which led the club to its Grand Final triumph.

He was a footballing visionary, and after drawing the curtain on his superb time with the Saints in 1989, was by then known as the soul and conscience of the club.

While his contemporaries may have possessed more flair, none could level the effectiveness and heart of Keith Drinan.

The dependable half-back flanker evolved into one of St Kilda’s most efficient full-backs following an interrupted start to his career, which included a knee injury and a subsequent incorrect diagnosis of him being a "malingerer". In reality, he was a steady player with a massive heart.

Drinan captained St Kilda in two separate stints, the first of which seeing him as the youngest VFL skipper at the time, aged 26. He was poised to take the Saints' vacant coaching role in 1956, but when Alan Killigrew was appointed, he happily served as captain again.

Some may say Wels Eicke was St Kilda's 'first' in several regards. He was one of the first, genuine stars to grace the red, white and black, was the club's first Best & Fairest in 1914 and the first to challenge the great Roy Cazaly in terms of marking prowess.

Debuting as a 15-year-old, the three-time Best & Fairest was one of the longest-serving Saints of his era. A brave rover-turned-defender who was a fine kick and had tremendous spring, he is said to have taken one of the greatest marks ever when he soared over a pack of 10 players.

After a brief stint at North Melbourne as its inaugural VFL coach, Eicke later returned to St Kilda as a committeeman, but resigned in contempt of the club's proposed move from Junction Oval to Moorabbin.

The man from Prahran and his impact on the game was recognised through being one of the inaugural inductees into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.

At the time he badly injured his knee in 1977 , Glenn Elliott was regarded as one of the best centremen in Australia.

It would have seemed an unlikely scenario eight years earlier when the young man from Yea arrived at a club with a Brownlow medallist Ian Stewart and the versatile option of Daryl Griffiths who could play the position better than most other clubs‘ centremen. But within two seasons, Stewart and Griffiths had moved elsewhere.

Once in the middle, Elliott was not about to let someone else in. He honed his craft initially by playing a defensive style on opposing stars but eventually blossomed in his own right. He starred in four games for Victoria and won a Saints Best & Fairest in 1974.

Peter ‘Spida’ Everitt was St Kilda to a tee. He arrived a skinny kid at Moorabbin, a little rough around the edges and with swagger in spades, but he had the raw talent to back it up.

He would become a cult figure in his own right, and fond memories of his heroics still reverberate amongst the red, white and black faithful well after his retirement. The imposing ruckman boasted a talent for kicking bags – almost unheard of for ruckmen at the time – and possessed extraordinary mobility given his 203cm frame.

His breakout year came in 1996, when he booted 40 majors and began to fully take the reins in the rucking duties, revolutionising the role of the modern ruckman in the process.

Perhaps equally as memorable as his on-field prowess was the eccentric ruckman’s suite of hairdos. But even after stints at Hawthorn and Sydney, 'Spida' will always be remembered as a Saint.

Once, when Danny Frawley was asked how he would like to be remembered, he said as a bloke who never shirked an issue and fought tooth and nail for every game.

‘Spud’ had a heart as big as the St Kilda grandstand. For a man who became such a great leader, it is hard to imagine that when he was appointed captain at the age of 23 in 1987 there were many who doubted the move.

By the time he retired, the full-back from Bungaree had led St Kilda in 177 games (73 games more than the next highest games as captain, Darrel Baldock) and was universally regarded as one of the competition’s best captains. It was a captaincy record only exceeded by Nick Riewoldt.

Frawley was adored by all – from his teammates, opponents and fans far and wide during his days in the media – and respected for his openness and honesty surrounding mental health. His tragic passing in 2019 reverberated around the football world, but his legacy proudly lives on through the Danny Frawley Centre for Health and Wellbeing.

If Brian Gleeson were playing in modern times, his untimely knee injury would have been season-ending rather than career-ending.

Recruited from Ballarat's St Patrick's College, a renowned breeding ground for champion footballers, Gleeson's impact amid an ailing period of St Kilda's history was near-immediate as he quickly cemented himself as one of the most talented players of his time.

With the likes of Bruce Phillips, Neil Roberts and Verdun Howell pinning down the Saints' defence, Gleeson began his career at centre half-forward where his terrific marking skills proved a great asset. Eventually, he would develop into a fine tap ruckman with a knack for directing hit-outs with metronomic precision.

His career ended well before its prime and would have been just 31 years old at the time of St Kilda's Grand Final victory. Gleeson nevertheless remains a revered player despite his brief tenure, earning selection into St Kilda's Hall of Fame from just 70 matches.

Daryl Griffiths overcame an horrific start to his career when he was knocked senseless in his first full game against Essendon, but soon emerged as a star in his own right.

In St Kilda's greatest era he was sometimes overshadowed by the big names around him, but he was a champion as a half-back flanker, ruck-rover or centreman. His strength in contests, running ability and class made him the ideal player in an era where coaches increasingly sought footballers who could handle a variety of roles.

Allan Jeans had total faith in him, and Griffiths credited that show of belief as the major reason why he succeeded.

Griffiths had boundless courage, but it often landed him in trouble and he was concussed 10 times during his career. Although he left the League scene and headed to Western Australia at the young age of 25, he left an indelible mark on the game and his club.

The term ‘spiritual leader’ is not an official one, but few players have been fortunate enough to receive that honour. It was label constantly tagged to Lenny Hayes.

Tough, fearless and loyal to a fault, the legendary No. 7 stole the hearts of fans everywhere across a glittering 16-year career. His brutal tackle and physicality were traits perfectly complemented by his trademark step and impeccable use; they formed the recipe for a consistent, elite midfielder and it showed. There was a reason why everybody loved Lenny.

Under St Kilda’s captaincy rotation in the 2000s, he got his chance at the helm and it added an extra dimension to his game. The three-time All-Australian and three-time Best & Fairest relished having responsibility, and that was apparent in the 2009 Grand Final when Geelong had to place Brownlow Medallist Jimmy Bartel on him to try and rein him in. In the following year’s drawn Grand Final he became the club’s first Norm Smith Medallist with a superb display.

Late in his career it was revealed that he played an entire season with a heart condition. In footy terms, no heart was bigger than that of Lenny Hayes.

The snowy-haired full-back from Tasmania was a footballer ahead of his time. In an era where full-backs were usually bulky types who concentrated on bodywork and spoiling, Howell was a dasher who could out-mark the tallest forwards then zoom away.

In just his second year he shared top place in the 1959 Brownlow voting with Bob Skilton, but was denied a medal because of the countback system in place at the time. The injustice was rectified with a retrospective medal 30 years later.

Later in his career, Howell was shifted to full-forward and kicked nine goals there in his second game. It meant that Bob Murray could be developed as a full-back and St Kilda could afford the luxury of playing Howell, the state full-back for seven seasons in a row, at the opposite end of the ground.

In 1966, he suffered a broken jaw on the eve of the finals, but there was no way he was going to miss out on a famous moment. He was vice-captain on the club's greatest day and as ever and made a valuable contribution, this time as a half-back.

If there's one player to define the honest, everyman, heart-on-sleeve defender, there's no more textbook example than Max Hudghton.

As he proved time and time again against the competition's premium forwards, he didn't need to have much of the ball to make his presence felt. When he did have it though, his use - and efficiency - was impeccable. Rounding out his arsenal were his thumping spoils, the number of which stood in stark contrast to how many goals the unsung full-back conceded.

Hudghton was a pillar of consistency after debuting in 1997, calling time twelve seasons later after missing out on selection for the Saints' 2009 Grand Final side. Although nowhere near as flashy as some of the superstars of his time, his importance to the red, white and black can't be ignored.

Born within a drop-kick of the Junction Oval, Huggins learned to love the Saints from an early age.

He eventually channelled his business drive and energy into his beloved football club, first as a recruiter from 1953 who, it was said, covered 122,000 miles around Australia in the quest for players. Huggins went from mascot to president of St Kilda Football Club, first assuming the role in 1957, aged 38, to be the youngest President in the league, before becoming Vice President of the Victorian Football League.

Between their shared tenure, the Huggins and Drake masterminded the move to Moorabbin, drew star players to the Saints, and plenty more crucial to the club’s longevity.

Barry Lawrence came from Tasmania with a huge reputation as a key forward, but started to build his League reputation when he went to the backline.

He was a player of superb judgement and highly refined skills who was also blessed with a low centre of gravity that could inflict fearful bumps. His mental toughness was legendary. If hampered by injury he could still effectively play on one leg at full-forward, and if fully fit he could be used in defence.

Lawrence had a tough initiation to his VFL career and an early demotion made headlines. But he simply set his jaw and fought back via the backline rather than as a forward where he had made his name. The extent of his turnaround can be seen by the fact that he went on to captain the Saints and Victoria and was eventually picked in St Kilda’s Team of the Century.

He will always be remembered for his classic smother in the 1971 Grand Final which prevented fellow Tasmanian Peter Hudson from passing the 150-goal record.

Very few could reel in a contested mark like the great Stewart ‘Buckets’ Loewe. The No. 23 held the record for taking the most marks in the history of the game (2503), before the remarkable feat was overtaken by his heir apparent, Nick Riewoldt.

But his qualities extended beyond just aerial brilliance and giant hands, with his work ethic and commitment to fitness legendary. Loewe was not a natural footballer as a youngster, but worked so hard on his game to utilise his physical attributes to the utmost effect.

Playing in the position acknowledged as the hardest on the field, he achieved a consistency of performance and durability at centre-half forward that was the lynchpin of St Kilda sides for over 15 years. By the end of his career, ‘Buckets’ had booted 594 goals across 321 games and earned two All Australian selections and a place in St Kilda’s Team of the Century.

Dave McNamara's long arms and height may have given him the advantage over opponents, but it was his kicking that was the stuff of legend.

He came closer than anybody to the magic distance of 100 yards, but admitted in later years that he considered that mythical mark was humanly impossible. McNamara specialised in the long-forgotten place kick and his long leg and superb follow-through feature in a famous picture that is a footballing icon.

The big left-footer captained the Saints at the age of 21, but left a couple of years later due to an internal dispute. He spent three of his prime years between the ages of 23 and 26 in the VFA competition, where he was a cut above the rest and logged up prodigious tallies of goals.

Despite his disrupted career, McNamara had no trouble picking up the threads after lengthy absences and his biggest goal haul for St Kilda, 10 against Geelong, came when he was 35 years old. McNamara later served as a committeeman and President for the club.

There has never been a player in the game more vexing, infuriating and grating to the opposition than Stephen Milne. And didn't the Saints faithful love it.

Arguably the greatest small forward of all time, the mercurial goalsneak slotted a staggering 574 goals across his 275 games after joining the club as an unsuspecting and unassuming rookie. It wasn't just the sheer volume of goals which made him great, but the near-impossible ways he put them through.

With creativity off the charts and a forward craft unlike any other, the four-time leading goalkicker could easily pile goals in quick succession, once bagging a mind-boggling 11 majors against Brisbane in 2005.

While coming up agonisingly short of what would have been his greatest goal in the drawn 2010 Grand Final, the electric Milne created on-field memories that will last for a long time to come.

Leigh Montagna’s first taste of senior footy came early in 2002 when the team had been ravaged by injury and was at one of its lowest ebbs. He was one of six kids who went into the game with only 18 games of collective experience.

Montagna could not have imagined that his career would run for close to 300 games and earn All-Australian selection and Grand Final appearances.

He was probably picked before he was ready and during the first four years, for a variety of reasons, he could not nail down a permanent position. Persistence would win out in the end and he not only established a regular place but became one of the men who was consistently to the fore as part of a star-studded team.

All-Australian selection was recognition of his standing as one of the game’s best wingers, and he also adapted to the half-back flank role in his closing seasons. His football acumen was a strong part of his game and his consistency regularly placed him in the upper echelon of the Saints’ best and fairest voting, finishing in the top-three five times.

The broad-shouldered, strong-legged and big-hearted ruckman Alan Morrow was a battler through and through.

Although just six feet tall, Morrow found a way to outflank bigger opponents week after week. Possessing great fortitude and an iron will, he was a fine mark in contested situations and had a great leap.

For the entirety of his league career, Morrow wore an old knee bandage to shore up the leg he injured aged 15. In his last season in 1966, he spent most of the year in the back pocket, but the suspension of Carl Ditterich thrust him back into the ruck and he responded in typical style in the Grand Final.

Morrow's enduring perseverance was rewarded in what proved his last senior game, with the veteran ruckman clasping the Sherrin to the sound of the Grand Final siren. For a man who was no-frills and no-fuss, it was an exit full of style.

Bob Murray was a classic case of a struggling forward who found his niche in defence. A superb high mark, he did not have a big physique and relied more on judgement and anticipation to outmark full-forwards.

He needed all of his wits to contain the second golden era of full-forwards that comprised Hudson, Wade, McKenna and Jesaulenko, but was still able to maintain his attacking style. Knee injuries hampered him in later years, but by then his reputation was well and truly established.

Predecessor Verdun Howell's move forward late in his career allowed Murray to blossom into a bonafide full-back. He was never more important than in the dying seconds of the 1966 Grand Final, with his courageous intercept mark sealing the Premiership triumph.

Brian Mynott was the quintessential tap ruckman; an honest and worthy hard worker who never stopped trying.

Cutting his teeth in the reserves as the likes of Carl Ditterich, Alan Morrow and Jim Wallis held down the ruck fort, Mynott was eventually tasked with a mountain of responsibility for the 1966 Grand Final after Ditterich was suspended in the preceding semi-final. Mynott revelled in having a big workload and staying on the ball for the greatest day of all, even admitting he became edgy when he was away from the action for any period of time.

When the 10-year rule came into effect, many clubs made a play to secure Mynott's services, but he remained in red, white and black and continued to be a fine warrior until the very end of his career.

The burly utility affectionally known as ‘Cowboy’ was one of the most popular players – and characters – of his era. To those fans who loved him and his rolling gait, it is unimaginable that Neale could very easily have been a Carlton player.

Overlooked after one training session, when he accompanied a country teammate who would remain for brief career with the Blues, Neale returned home to South Warrnambool. Years later, Carlton admitted to him that he rued the decision.

As a Saint, Cowboy became a stalwart either as a full-forward or backman. It is etched in the club’s annals that he booted five of the Saints’ 10 goals in the 1966 Grand Final. When he galloped out of the backline he would leave opponents strewn in his wake.

No game better illustrated Cowboy Neale’s versatility than the 1967 match with Essendon at Moorabbin. Playing as a defender in the first half he held the Saints together and repelled countless attacks. At half-time, he was shifted to full-forward and kicked six goals in the third term and topped it off with two more in the fourth quarter.

While playing with distinction throughout his 110 appearances for St Kilda, it is perhaps off the field that Des Nisbet made his most profound mark on the club.

From 1958-1983, Nisbet served as Chairman of Selectors, overlooking some of the most talented sides - including the 1966 Premiership outfit - across his 25 years in the role.

Nisbet's resumption of the key post coincided with the arrivals of Graham Huggins and Ian Drake, both of whom were instrumental in solidifying the club's foundations and sowing the often-unseen seeds towards the Saints' eventual Grand Final triumph.

Lance Oswald was a brilliant footballer in one of the sport’s most glittering eras.

In an era of "stay at home" centremen, the wonder from Wangaratta was a free-ranging footballer who had a tremendous capacity for gathering possessions all over the ground.

In the early 1960s, he was rated the best midfielder in the land, and while some of the older-style critics were not in favour of his style, Oswald was ahead of his time in the sense that he was the sort of non-stop, running footballer who would have fitted in perfectly in today's game.

A prolific possession-winner and beautiful kick, the lure of the country drew Osawald back home, but not before two Best & Fairests, Victorian representative honours and 107 games in red, white and black.

Making his debut in the 1966 semi-final and tasting Grand Final success a few weeks later, Travis Payze's beginning to life as a VFL footballer couldn't be much better.

The next few years proved challenging, however. Payze's career appeared destined for the scrapheap with only a dozen games coming in the next four-and-a-half seasons, but his resurgence as a ruck rover - a move initiated by close friend and captain, Ian Stewart, in 1969 - brought him back from the brink.

Payze overcame his erratic kicking from his early days and he excelled in heavier, muddier conditions as his strength and persistence came up trumps. A famous photo of Payze covered head-to-toe in Moorabbin mud after a hard-fought contest was further evidence of his willingness to dig in.

He eventually became the Saints' Chairman of Selectors, soon rising to the role of President to help navigate the club through years of financial hardship to a place where they reached finals.

Like most forwards who are converted to successful defenders, Bruce Phillips believed that if he had returned to the forward half in later years he could have made a good fist of the job.

Phillips had begun his senior carer sensationally with three goals in eight minutes. However chances were limited in subsequent years, prompting his father to front the committee and demand that his son be given a better chance or he would cross to Collingwood. The response was bizarre, as he was plonked at full-back in the last round of 1949 having never played in defence in his life.

He dominated in the new role and was rated best afield. Within 12 months, he had won a major newspaper award, represented the state team, won the Saints' Best & Fairest and run third in the Brownlow Medal. Few players could match Phillips’ aerial ability and he could kick the ball out of sight.

He was the vice-captain in 1955, aged 26, and when the captain-coach was replaced, he had a good chance of earning the captaincy. But it all ended when he badly injured his knee in a practice match; Phillips unable to show his absolute best up the other end of the ground.

A centre half-forward and ruckman, Jim Ross shone through in an era when the rest of the team struggled. His three Best & Fairest awards are a fair indication of his talent.

Extremely light in build when he began with the Saints, his great spring and marking ability more than compensated for any lack of bulk. At just 26, he took up an attractive offer from Tasmania and went on to become a legendary figure on the Apple Isle.

Nevertheless, his impact at St Kilda left its mark. Ross was inducted into both the club's Hall of Fame and Team of the Century, cementing himself as a champion of both his era and his club.

“If you can run, you can play” was the mantra Jeff Sarau lived and played by.

Although undersized compared to his rucking opponents, the lion-hearted big man made up for it through his good leap, aggression and great marking power.

Like his predecessors, Sarau relished and thrived in the responsibility of being St Kilda's first-choice ruckman, going on to win two Best & Fairests in 1975 and 1977 as a direct by-product of his commitment and work ethic.

The definition of consistency with 123 consecutive games for the red, white and black, Ian Synman was as reliable and committed as they come.

A steadfast and consistent centre half-back, Synman sits in revered St Kilda history as one of the Premiership Twenty. Despite conjecture over whether he would play on the day due to the Grand Final falling on the Jewish holiday, Yom Kippur, he was never in doubt after receiving special dispensation to play.

Synman was the only player who didn’t swap jumpers at the end of the game. He said later that he would have swapped if anyone asked but at the moment he just wanted to keep wearing it. True to his word, Synman caught up with Magpie Terry Waters the following week and swapped the jumper, which he now proudly owns once again.

Stuart Trott’s first game for St Kilda gave no indication that he was worth the trouble the club had gone to just to recruit him. He had signed for Essendon, but a series of cunning moves by Saints’ secretary Ian Drake involved Trott’s junior club receiving two sets of jumpers, the proceeds of a practice match and other skullduggery.

Trott was dragged in the third quarter of his debut for St Kilda, and as he walked around the boundary, he was told by a trainer to limp so it would seem he had been injured. But that would never be Trott’s way.

The lightly built winger was a pro sprinter, and often the only way to stop him was by a sly fist or elbow. Footage of the 1971 finals series was proof his courage. It was little wonder that he went on to captain the team and win a Best & Fairest, before finishing his final two years at senior level with Hawthorn.

Ken Walker would joke long after his career ended that the only position he hadn't played was on the wing or as a rover. Everywhere else though, he excelled at.

St Kilda soon realised that they had a flexible, capable talent at their disposal, with stints as a key position player at either end or as an impactful ruckman punctuating his time in red, white and black.

He won consecutive Best & Fairests in 1942 and 1943, but sadly slipped from the Saints' services at just 25 years old when he was offered nine pounds a week to captain-coach Tasmanian club, Burnie.

Fortunately, it wasn’t the last the Saints would see of Walker. The relocated Victorian returned as coach of the club's reserves side, worked as part of Moorabbin's ground staff for many years and even became a highly respected recruiter, scouting out one Tony Lockett to usher in a new era for St Kilda.

A brilliant winger, centreman and half-back flanker from South Warrnambool, Colin Watson was a compact footballer with loads of dash and a penetrating kick.

First scouted out by the great Roy Cazaly - who was coaching the side at the time - while playing for his hometown in 1919, Watson became a permanent member of St Kilda by 1922, deploying his class and talent across multiple positions.

Watson was hailed the best footballer in the land with the 1925 Brownlow Medal, but stunned St Kilda when he accepted a job for the coach of Stawell for the following season. Clearance disputes persisted in the years following his departure, with the VFL even imposing a three-year playing ban due to him as a consequence for his transgressions.

Even in light of the complications, Watson returned to St Kilda by 1933 (although missing the club's iconic Crest Game) and was appointed captain-coach the following season before returning home to the bush.

In the days when Victorian grounds were often muddy and soggy, West Australians usually found it hard to adapt to the heavier surfaces. It was a generalisation that didn’t fit the footballing profile of Nicky Winmar, but then again he would often prove that he was a footballer who defied being categorised.

On the sage footballing advice of his father Neal, Winmar and his brother would turn on the hoses and pretend it was a muddy ground in Melbourne. Similarly one of his greatest understated assets was his supreme tackling honed in sheep pens on elusive merinos, while his shearer father was working nearby.

Winmar was one of the most sublimely gifted players of his era, and one whose influence barely wavered. In a further example of consistency, he also became the first Indigenous player to appear in 200 VFL/AFL games.

The proud Noongar man will forever be remembered with his stand against racism on a defining 1993 day at Victoria Park, after the match lifting his guernsey and proudly declaring "I'm black and I'm proud".