Robert Harvey has lauded the "coldness" of St Kilda coach Ross Lyon on the eve of a grand final which has arrived a year too late for the retired Saints champion.

Harvey has plenty of empathy for two other Saints to have narrowly missed out - veteran defender Max Hudghton and young forward Robert Eddy, who was omitted for former Swan Sean Dempster.

But Harvey, now a development coach with Carlton and a guest speaker at the club's pre-grand final luncheon, was also convinced that Lyon's selection ruthlessness was just what was required to win the Saints their second flag.

"I know Ross and I know how he thinks and I think it just would've been clearly based on what he thinks for this game coming up and Geelong, and that's all it would've come down to," Harvey said on Friday.

"He thinks Dempster will be a better option tomorrow than Robert Eddy, which is unfortunate for Robbie, but you see it every year.

"I've spoken to Max Hudghton a few times this week and he's going through everyone's nightmare.

"That's how brutal the business is, you see all these pennants around here (draped from the balconies of the town hall) Carlton have won, St Kilda have only won one and I know Ross is hell-bent on trying to get that second one, nothing's going to stand in his way.

"Maybe a lot of people don't understand why Max Hudghton isn't in, but that's the way it is and there's that coldness almost in Ross about questing after another flag."

Harvey said he had tried to keep some distance from the club he had spent most of his life in this year, but had been in more frequent touch with former teammates as the pointy end of the season drew closer.

"I've been working hard at the Blues this year so kept my distance a fair bit, but especially over the last few weeks I've been wishing the boys well," he said.

"The only concern for the Saints is the Cats have been in better form, they've been in better form for the last four weeks.

"Whether that holds up tomorrow I'm not sure but I think they can win and I think 40 years or so since they've won their last flag, it's a good time for the Saints to get their second."

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP