I've been everywhere man - Robert Harvey

[my les foote]

According to Geoff McClure's column in The Age, if / when Sir Robert plays at Carrara this year it will be his 19th venue for a senior VFL / AFL match. This will equal Paul Salmon's record.

ROBERT HARVEY has played 359 AFL games, is about to begin his 21st (and surely, last) season. It has been quite a journey for the dual Brownlow medallist, of course, except there is still the odd gap to fill, not least a much sought-after premiership (and what a way that would be to give the champ a rousing 2008 send-off). But there's also one other significant missing link in his celebrated career. You see, Harvey has played at 18 different venues all over Australia, putting him in a select group alongside retired veterans Doug Hawkins, Gary Ayres, Gavin Wanganeen and Nathan Burke, but never at Carrara on the Gold Coast, once home of the Brisbane Bears and these days, the "other home" of the Kangaroos. But, barring injury, not only will that be rectified this year when the Saints take on the Roos in round 14, but it will mean he will join former Essendon and Hawthorn star Paul Salmon as the most travelled AFL players in the game's history. We've listed Harvey's venue career above, the variation to the Salmon list being that "the Fish" played at Arden Street and the Junction Oval, and Harvey didn't, but Salmon never played at Aurora Stadium and Manuka, and Harvey has.

[riccardo]

ROBERT HARVEY..............is about to begin his 21st (and surely, last) season.

They've been saying that for about 4 or 5 years now, any normal player (even those put up on media pedestals like Hird, Voss, etc) would have retired by now, but we all know Harves is different.

Could he be motivated to keep playing by fear of being offered a media role after he retires? Two things we know about Harves - its hard for him to say no, and he is painfully shy!

[Saints Premiers 2008]

hel'l go when he ha a super season or unfortunately gets a long term injury

harsh but true

love the man though

[riccardo]

I was just thinking about this, I'm not sure how Harves missed playing at Cararra.

The Bears were there from '87 to '91 and moved to the Gabba in 1992, and Harves started in 1988.

Did we just not play the Bears there in that time? I know we played them at the Gabba in '91 in preperation for thier move there, and Harves only played a few games in '88, but what about '89 and '90?

[Saints Premiers 2008]

it could have been that we only played them once a year and just one of those two years was at cararra...and he missed it

[Dan Warna]

december 14 2008

Robert harvey, after consulting with his team mates, his wife, his children and the club, after winning his 3rd brownlow has reluctantly and only wiht the blessing of friends and family decided to pull the boots on for a 22nd season.

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true story

[Go Sretnias Go]

December 14, 2008.

He forgot to say that after receiving the Norm Smith and Premiership medals he had a glass of champaign and a cigar to celebrate - has promised his wife, family, team mates, the Club and others he will never do that again - but only if he wins his 4th Brownlow, 2009 flag, Norm Smith etc., he might be excused by repeating the champaign /cigar trick.

Well done Sir Rob.

[my les foote]

I was just thinking about this, I'm not sure how Harves missed playing at Cararra.

The Bears were there from '87 to '91 and moved to the Gabba in 1992, and Harves started in 1988.

Did we just not play the Bears there in that time? I know we played them at the Gabba in '91 in preperation for thier move there, and Harves only played a few games in '88, but what about '89 and '90?

The only game Harvs could have played at Carrara was Round 16 1989. He didn't make his debut until after the game in 88, I know he did an ankle early in his career, so that would explain why he never played there. The W and L refers to Brisbane, not us.

Games against Brisbane
13 St Kilda 2.1 4.2 7.7 7.8 50 3.4 7.6 12.7 14.12 96 L Waverley Park 13824 29-Jun-1996
R8 St Kilda 9.2 11.9 14.12 17.13 115 3.0 8.2 12.7 14.10 94 W Gabba 7648 21-May-1995
R19 St Kilda 0.5 1.5 8.7 8.7 55 3.1 4.5 5.9 5.15 45 W Waverley Park 12927 30-Jul-1994
R4 St Kilda 4.6 8.9 17.11 22.19 151 2.1 9.3 10.7 15.8 98 W Gabba 11290 17-Apr-1994
R11 St Kilda 1.3 4.4 7.5 11.9 75 5.1 8.2 14.6 20.10 130 L Waverley Park 11748 12-Jun-1993
R10 St Kilda 1.2 2.2 6.5 9.6 60 6.2 14.5 20.8 25.18 168 L Moorabbin Oval 18360 23-May-1992
R23 St Kilda 3.2 5.6 5.10 7.12 54 5.0 10.4 19.7 27.12 174 L Moorabbin Oval 16364 24-Aug-1991
R8 St Kilda 3.3 5.4 10.4 12.7 79 4.5 12.11 15.17 21.22 148 L Gabba 9828 12-May-1991
R10 St Kilda 2.3 3.4 6.8 10.11 71 6.6 14.11 19.19 21.22 148 L Moorabbin Oval 14099 02-Jun-1990
R16 St Kilda 3.1 7.4 13.8 14.10 94 2.7 7.8 8.14 12.18 90 W Carrara 11004 22-Jul-1989
R1 St Kilda 3.1 11.4 11.6 15.7 97 2.6 7.9 14.12 20.16 136 L Moorabbin Oval 17236 01-Apr-1989
R14 St Kilda 3.5 7.12 12.14 14.15 99 2.4 5.8 6.11 12.17 89 W Carrara 10394 03-Jul-1988
R5 St Kilda 1.1 6.10 8.14 13.15 93 5.5 8.6 9.10 12.12 84 W Moorabbin Oval 15260 30-Apr-1988
R16 St Kilda 5.3 8.5 10.8 14.9 93 5.1 11.4 14.11 18.13 121 L Carrara 9106 12-Jul-1987
R3 St Kilda 1.2 3.8 7.10 11.17 83 4.3 8.5 15.6 21.7 133 L Moorabbin Oval 12717 11-Apr-1987

[esaint66]

im amazed he hadnt played at carrara
but i will be proud to say i saw him play his first game at carrara when i travel up there to see him against the roos.
c'arn banger

[casey scorp]

We have played 3 games at Carrara:

Carrara
1989 R16 v Brisbane Bears 2.7 7.8 8.14 12.18 (90) 3.1 7.4 13.8 14.10 (94) L Carrara 11004 22-Jul-1989
1988 R14 v Brisbane Bears 2.4 5.8 6.11 12.17 (89) 3.5 7.12 12.14 14.15 (99) L Carrara 10394 03-Jul-1988
1987 R16 v Brisbane Bears 5.1 11.4 14.11 18.13 (121) 5.3 8.5 10.8 14.9 (93) W Carrara 9106 12-Jul-1987

The Saints scores are shown first - the W & L refers to the Saints.

Harvey debuted in Round 19 1988 (and played 10 consecutive games to Round 6 1989). He next played in Round 17 1989.

Average crowd was around 10,000!!

[Enrico_Misso]

Always had it in mind to ask "Name the AFL/VFL Grounds Harvey has played on" in the Trivea thread but could never be bothered to do the research.

When/if he does play at Carrara that will be the 19th venue he has played at.

However that means that there are still 18 AFL / VFL venues that he hasn't played at !

[Otiman]

There was a whole thread on the subject when it came up last year, I believe it was when we played at Telstra Stadium. It's been lost to the forum gods, sadly.

Here are the ones I can think of right now.

MCG
Moorabbin
Telstra Dome
Waverley Park
Victoria Park
Windy Hill
Whitten Oval
Princes Park
Kardinia Park
Subiaco
Launceston (Aurora)
Canberra
Telstra Stadium
SCG
Gabba
Football Park
(that's only 16) WACA perhaps?

Which AFL/VFL venues Hasn't he played at?

Glenferrie
Punt Rd
Junction Oval
Carrara

[riccardo]

The Sun article had the grounds he played at. One was North Hobart (assume away Vs Fitzroy when they played there), WACA and Manuka (once Vs NM) of those you missed.

[Otiman]

The Sun article had the grounds he played at. One was North Hobart (assume away Vs Fitzroy when they played there), WACA and Manuka (once Vs NM) of those you missed.

I included Manuka (Canberra) just couldn't think of the name of it.

[riccardo]

The Sun article had the grounds he played at. One was North Hobart (assume away Vs Fitzroy when they played there), WACA and Manuka (once Vs NM) of those you missed.

I included Manuka (Canberra) just couldn't think of the name of it.

Oops! Sorry about that!

Its a damn impressive record, just have to bring in a new ground in the next few years so he can claim the record. Maybe we could offer to play the Dogs in Darwin!

[Otiman]

Its a damn impressive record, just have to bring in a new ground in the next few years so he can claim the record. Maybe we could offer to play the Dogs in Darwin!

I like your optimism!

[Enrico_Misso]

Always had it in mind to ask "Name the AFL/VFL Grounds Harvey has played on" in the Trivea thread but could never be bothered to do the research.

When/if he does play at Carrara that will be the 19th venue he has played at.

However that means that there are still 18 AFL / VFL venues that he hasn't played at !

The 18 venues he has played at have been mentioned earlier in the thread.
Plus (hopefully) Carrara this year.
Equals 19 venues over his career.

That leaves 18 VFL/AFL venues that The Great Man will never have played at.
Just for completeness they are ...

Albury
Arden St
Brisbane Exhibition ground
Bruce Stadium (what a great Aussie venue !)
Brunswick St
Coburg City Oval
Corio Oval
East Melb
Euroa
Glenferrie
Junction Oval
Lake Oval
Marrara Oval
Motordome
Punt Rd
Toorak Park
Yallourn
Yarraville

Incidentally he only missed playing at 4 of these grounds by less than 6 years and the Bruce Stadium game was in 1995 but did not involve StKilda.

[Otiman]

Where is Bruce Stadium and Motordome?

[sainter35]

Bruce Stadium is in Canberra. It's where the Canberra Raiders and the Brumbies play.

Never heard of the Motordome.

[casey scorp]

Melbourne played 3 games there in 1932, and lost them all (against Carlton, Geelong and Richmond).

They were the only games played at the Motordome.

The Motordome was in Melbourne and was a motor racing track, but it must have had an oval in the middle. I can't tell you what suburb it was in, but I'd say it was in what is now considered to be an inner suburb.

[stinger]

not sure that banger didn't play at bruce stadium either.....i remember going there to see the saints play the swans in a pre-season game....nicky and franky peckett starred.....

[riccardo]

Melbourne played 3 games there in 1932, and lost them all (against Carlton, Geelong and Richmond).

They were the only games played at the Motordome.

The Motordome was in Melbourne and was a motor racing track, but it must have had an oval in the middle. I can't tell you what suburb it was in, but I'd say it was in what is now considered to be an inner suburb.

Thats the site that Olympic Park now sits on, it was redeveloped for the Olympic Games in 1956.

Sadly, Harves can't play at East Melbourne, either, it became railway yards in 1922 and is now a set of upscale apartment buildings. They say it was one of the finest grounds in the city at the time it was used, too.