Former St Kilda champion Robert Harvey says the timing was right for him to retire from the AFL, even though the Saints will give this year's premiership a big shake.

After playing 21 seasons for the Saints, Harvey is now a development coach with Carlton and having both clubs play on Friday night was a "strange" experience for him.

But he said the improvement of St Kilda's younger players this season had convinced him he was right in bowing out at the end of 2008, after 383 games for the Saints.

"At nearly 38 I was pretty much done," he told the pre-game function.

"To see how the young guys are running around now and how (Jarryn) Geary and even Farren Ray coming over from the Dogs has fit into the side, it has definitely been the right time for me to move on.

"It opened up a very good opportunity for younger players, so it was definitely the right time for me to go." Harvey said he was enjoying working with the Blues' younger players, but could not help but keep an eye on how his old side was progressing.

Meanwhile, the Blues announced on Friday night that Jeanne Pratt, the widow of former president Richard Pratt, had been appointed the club's new patron.

"Thank you to the board and all the supporters for this very great honour," she told the pre-game function.

"It cements Richard's and the Pratt family's involvement in the club we love so much."

Blues president Stephen Kernahan said while the Pratt name had been synonymous with Carlton for years, Jeanne Pratt had been a great contributor to the club in her own right.

Richard Pratt died on April 28 after a battle with prostate cancer.

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