ST KILDA partied like it was 1966 at Crown Palladium on Saturday night as members of its only premiership team reunited for its 50th anniversary and Hall of Fame event.

Club legend Tony Lockett – the highest goal scorer in AFL history - made a rare appearance to elevate his friend, former teammate and dual Brownlow Medallist Robert Harvey to Legend status in the club’s Hall of Fame,

“When asked my thoughts on the great man himself, it’s quite simple. Robert is one of, if not the greatest player, that has played at this club,” Lockett said.

“He is certainly the equal of anyone.

Round 18

“He is held in such high regard with his teammates and with everyone involved in the club.

“I don’t think there is anyone from any other club in any level that would have a bad word to say about Robert Harvey.”

Harvey – who played 383 games for the Saints and won four club best and fairest awards between 1988 and 2008 – joins the likes of premiership captain Darrel Baldock, Ian Stewart, Allan Jeans, Lockett, Trevor Barker, Neil Roberts and Ross Smith as a Legend.

In earning the status, he thanked every player and coach he played with and under and shared some of his own career highlights.

St Kilda great Robert Harvey has been elevated to Legend status. Source: News Limited

“I played with Tony Lockett – the greatest full forward our game has ever seen,” he said.

“I played with Stewart Loewe and Nick Riewoldt - two of the bet marking forwards of our time.

“I played with Nicky Winmar - one of the great Indigenous players of our generation.

“I played with Nathan Burke and Lenny Hayes – two of the toughest players I’ve ever played with or against.

“I experienced the wonder that was Moorabbin in its glory.

“What kept coming back to me was how grateful I was to see all these great things happen. By no means was it a perfect place, but it always felt ours. There was such a strong feeling that you belonged to it.

“To Danny Frawley and Trevor Barker … for teaching me what it means to play in the red, white and black.

“I’m so grateful for this.”

Former players Glenn ‘Albert’ Elliott and Stuart Trott were earlier inducted as the 49th and 50th members of the Hall of Fame.

Elliott and Trott – labelled “the best sledge going around” by club great Gary Colling - featured in the midfield for St Kilda during the late 1960s and 1970s.

The 1966 premiership team was escorted into the room by current Saints players, who were in good spirits after prevailing over Collingwood – just as the premiership team did before them – in a stirring 29-point win at the MCG.

The team – including Verdun Howell and Barry Breen, both of whom finally got their hands back on their prized premiership jumpers after 50 years having traditionally swapped strips with their Magpies opponents – was honoured throughout the evening which culminated in a team photo on stage at the end of the night.

lauren.wood@news.com.au