It’s generally accepted the most revered number at St Kilda is four.
That famed digit has graced the jumpers of some of the greats, Darrel Baldock and Tony Lockett among them.
But there’s also an argument for the No.1.
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St Kilda premiership players Kevin Neale and Barry Breen with the 1966 premiership cup in 2016. Getty
Think about it: one famous premiership, one famous point. That point came in the dying stages of the 1966 grand final from the boot of Barry Breen.
“I thought I was going to kick a goal because I had plenty of time,” laughed Breen in an interview with 9News Melbourne.
“It was an opportunity and I took it. It’s folklore.
“It’s one of the most famous moments in the history of the game and for that I’m very grateful.”
Breen’s premiership teammate, Ross Smith, summed the kick up in just one word: “Wobbly.”
On Sunday, Breen, who also wore No.4, and Smith, will be among the 12 surviving members of that 1966 team at an MCG dinner prior to the St Kilda-Collingwood Opening Round game.
A fitting fixture to officially celebrate the 60th anniversary of the club’s win over the Magpies.
The fact it was six decades ago has robbed many St Kilda supporters of the opportunity to experience the thrill of a premiership.
St Kilda premiership great Ross Smith in 2022. Getty
Not for the first time, the club heads into a season full of hope, buoyed by some marquee signings and re-signings.
Namely Tom De Koning and Jack Silvagni from Carlton, Sam Flanders from Gold Coast, Liam Ryan from West Coast, and the retention of Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and Rowan Marshall.
Breen, however, certainly isn’t getting ahead of himself.
“They’re really trying hard. Whether you agree or disagree with their recruiting program [in the] off-season, they’re having a go and I think that’s important. You just can’t keep accepting the status quo,” Breen said.
Smith, like Breen, is longing for the day when the premiership baton is handed over to another group of Saints.
“Many players have gone through and tried to do what we’ve done, but hopefully this group of players can do it for us,” Smith said.
Whether Ross Lyon can this year emulate the feat of former coach Allan Jeans 60 years ago remains to be seen. The Collingwood game will certainly act as an early indicator.
In the meantime, Breen, Smith and co. still have the tag of “premiership heroes” all to themselves.
“We tried in 1971, we tried in 1997, 2009, 2010 … We got close, but no cigar,” Smith said.
There will be another guest at that MCG dinner: the premiership cup itself, making a return to the ground, free from the loneliness of its locked cabinet at St Kilda’s Moorabbin headquarters.
John Farnham once sang “one is the loneliest number”. The next line of that song is “two can be as bad as one”.
There wouldn’t be a St Kilda fan alive who wouldn’t love to test that theory.