ST KILDA champion Robert Harvey’s 21-year career is over, with his teammates unable to provide the premiership that would have capped his achievements.
Harvey’s fellow veteran Shane Crawford still has the chance of claiming the accolade that has eluded both stars for so long - a premiership medal.
At 34, Crawford will play his first grand final next Saturday, against Geelong, after Hawthorn smashed the Saints in front of 77,002 at the MCG.
Crawford is yet to state his intentions on whether he plays on in 2009, but having begun his career after Hawthorn's great reign of the 1980s, he at least helped establish the club's new era of success.
Beating Geelong in a grand final is another matter, but the dream remains alive.
That's no longer the case for Harvey, 37, whose remarkable career spawned the highest number of seasons played and countless kilometres run.
But his 1997 Brownlow win came in the same week that the Saints lost that season's grand final to Adelaide, and that was the closest Harvey ever came to tasting the ultimate success.
St Kilda's defeat was their third in preliminary finals this decade, while a second ever premiership remains elusive.
After starring in St Kilda's win over Collingwood last week, Harvey was one of his side's better players, but - like so many of his teammates - he could not impart much impact.
When the final siren sounded, Harvey remained as he has been for so much of his career - unflappable - even though he was embraced by his teammates and opponents, including Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson and Crawford.
"I never expected in my final game that I'd be looking forward to that siren, but that was the case," he would later say.
"We're a better side than that ... great credit to the group to bounce back from where we were halfway through the season, but it was unacceptable.
"There's work to be done, that won't be swept under the carpet and I know there will be some hungry boys next year."
He looked emotional as he was chaired off by teammates Max Hudghton and Lenny Hayes, and gave one final wave to the crowd, while the Hawk players formed a guard of honour.
Hudghton did well to keep Lance Franklin to one goal, a great effort considering Hawthorn's dominance and that the Hawk superstar entered the match with 110 goals for the season.
Crawford, meanwhile, is more than just the sentimental story in Hawthorn's team of young guns.
The onballer had another good match and showed his sublime skill with a goal from a tight angle just before half-time, which effectively ensured his side's berth in the decider, as they led by 47 points at the time.
Harvey addressed the players and club staff in the rooms and told the group the Saints had a strong future.
He thanked coach Ross Lyon and his teammates for a special final season before he broke down in tears.
His emotional address had several of his teammates and club staff in tears, before he was then reunited with his family.
