St Kilda legend Robert Harvey shocks Onkaparinga Valley Football Club by running its Tuesday night training

One of the AFL’s greatest players shocked a local footy club in Adelaide’s south this week during his Gather Round trip.

He’s won multiple Brownlow Medals and has a host of All Australian jumpers to his name, now AFL legend Robert Harvey has taken his talents and expertise to a local Adelaide footy team.

On Tuesday night, the St Kilda Hall of Fame inductee shocked the Onkaparinga Valley Football Club – surprising players and coaches as he led a one-off training session.

Club president Shane Collins said the experience brought with it a “really exciting injection of energy” for the playing group leading into Round 1 this weekend.

“To have his knowledge out on the field as he was teaching … we’re quite a young football club, so for those young players to sit and listen to someone of the calibre of Robert Harvey was just amazing,” Mr Collins said.

Two-times Brownlow medallist and St Kilda legend Robert Harvey dropped in for a surprise coaching session with Onkaparinga Valley Footy Club this week ahead of the Gather Round. Picture: Supplied

“The hour-and-a-half session that we had with him will probably have long-ranging positive effects on our playing group.

“They (the players) weren’t aware it was happening, so when he turned up, it was quite a surprise for the group and they were absolutely buzzing. It was a beautiful night on the track and having Robert there, instructing and helping out with a few things … The guys were really, really excited.”

Harvey being chaired off the ground by teammates Nick Riewoldt and Lenny Hayes after playing a club record 324 games for St Kilda. Picture: AAP/Andrew Brownbill

Harvey played a club-record 383 games for the Saints after debuting in 1988 at just 16 years old – and went on to have, what many consider, one of the most illustrious AFL careers in history.

In 1997 and 1998 he won consecutive Brownlow Medals – the AFL’s highest individual honour – and finished his career with the second-highest tally of votes ever recorded at the time, with 215.

Since then, he has been eclipsed only by Scott Pendlebury (221*), Sam Mitchell (227), Patrick Dangerfield (248*) and Gary Ablett Jnr (262).

Harvey also boasts eight All Australian honours and four St Kilda best and fairest awards.

After retiring in 2008, he began his coaching career as an assistant with Carlton – then moved on to roles with St Kilda, Collingwood and Hawthorn, before returning to the Saints following Ross Lyon’s reappointment in 2022.

Lyon and Harvey during a pre-season training session in 2022. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Mr Collins said Harvey’s younger brother – 1997 Norwood premiership captain Anthony – had managed to facilitate the surprise because his three children currently played junior football for the Bulldogs.

“With Anthony’s connection there, he was able to organise Robert to come up for a session with us which was great,” Mr Collins said.

“It’s just a great thing for our football club – it’s a great thing for football in general. It’s just another reason why Gather Round so important.”

Originally published as St Kilda legend Robert Harvey shocks Onkaparinga Valley Football Club by running its Tuesday night training