Amongst St Kilda fans, debate will always rage about the club's greatest player. Who's the best Saints' player to ever pull on a jumper? What about the greatest player of the last 20 years? Who, of the current players, has the most impressive career so far?
Picking just one player for each of these categories is a near impossible task, so we've decided to create a new player altogether. By the end of the week, with your help, SAINTS.com.au will have created the ultimate Saint.
Yesterday we focused on the torso, finding both the heart and the strength of the ultimate Saint. Today we're asking you to vote for the best hands and arms - the Saints' greatest markers and fiercest tacklers.
Some modern St Kilda leaders are nominated, along with a few club legends and a famous Saint who debuted more than a century ago.
Make sure to cast your vote and check back in tomorrow to vote for the next component in SAINTS.com.au's ultimate Saint!
Ultimate Saint's Hands (Marking)?
Nick RiewoldtThe current Saints' skipper reminds us all how good his hands are each and every week. In 2004 Riewoldt set a new AFL record for the most marks taken in a season. Nine years on, 'Roo' continues to sprint from contest to contest, marking just about everything that comes his way. He leads the league in marks this season, averaging a fraction under 10 per game. | ![]() |
Stewart LoeweLoewe's hands are not just among the best St Kilda has ever seen, they're as good as we've ever had in AFL. Nicknamed 'buckets' due to the size of his hands, the centre half-forward was better at judging the flight of the ball than any of his opponents. Loewe finished his career having taken 2503 marks. No player in VFL/AFL history has taken more. | ![]() |
Tony LockettPlugger's ability to win one-on-one marking contests was second to none, and one of the main reasons why he was able to launch so many shots at goal. Standing at 191 centimetres, Lockett didn't have a great height advantage over his opponents, but his physical strength combined with a vice-like grip on the football made him nearly impossible to defend. | ![]() |
Kevin 'Cowboy' NealeIn just his second year of football, Neale's role as a marking forward played a critical part in St Kilda's 1966 premiership. 'Cowboy' was fairly tall for his era - at 188 centimetres and with the ability to leap, he spent time in the ruck - and used his spring and clean hands to great effect during his 256 games with the club. | ![]() |
Roy CazalyDespite making his debut for St Kilda over 100 years ago, every footy supporter knows Roy Cazaly's name. As Mike Brady's famous football song suggests, Cazaly could leap extraordinarily high, and had wonderfully clean hands. The St Kilda captain's high marking made him one of the most exciting players of his era. | ![]() |
Ultimate Saint's Arms (Tackling)?
Sean DempsterWhile rebounding defenders are all the rage in modern footy, Dempster shows there's still a place for good, old-fashioned, lock-down defenders. The former-Swan makes certain his opponents are never able to gain easy possessions, and physically punishes them when they do. Dempster's defensive efforts are amongst the best in the competition, and were rewarded with a spot in the back pocket of last year's All-Australian team. | ![]() |
Trevor BarkerBarker was an inspirational captain in what was a tough era for St Kilda. Barker was as competitive as they come, and did his best to set a physical example for his teammates. He was elevated to Legend Status in the Saints' Hall of Fame earlier this year. The St Kilda best and fairest award is named in his honour. | ![]() |
Nicky WinmarWinmar has been nominated for numerous components of the Ultimate Saint, but is certainly a worthy candidate in this category. While Winmar could do extraordinary things with the ball in hand, he worked just as hard defensively, often using his pace to chase down opponents from behind. Opposition players were aware of Winmar's presence, and fearful of playing on whenever he was in the vicinity. | ![]() |
Lenny HayesUniversally admired for his attack on the ball, Hayes's attack on the man can be just as devastating for opposition fans. His enormous tackle on Dane Swan in the 2010 Grand Final inspired his teammates and created a huge momentum-shift that brought the Saints back into the game. Hayes' tackle on Bulldog Easton Wood early last season was just as stirring. | ![]() |
Nathan BurkeBurke was arguably St Kilda's greatest warrior during the 1990s, constantly throwing his body at both the ball and the man, happy to put his body through anything for the sake of helping the team. In an age before midfield rotations, Burke spent entire games barraging opposition midfielders around stoppages. | ![]() |









