BRENT GODDE: You were born and bred in Melbourne?

ANDREW HARVEY: I grew up in Dandenong.

BG: You were christened the nickname 'Knackers' early in your career?

AH: When I first arrived at Hampton Park I hardly knew any of the players so I just called everybody 'Knackers' and it ended up being my nickname.

BG: You played in a flag for Keysborough as a junior under high-profile coach Ian Cooper?

AH: Ian was named best on ground in St Kilda's only flag triumph in 1966.

BG: Once you turned seventeen you decided to put your football career on the back burner and instead concentrated on surfing?

AH: Once I got my driver's licence I bought a surfboard and surfed for five or six years.

BG: St Kilda talent scouts showed some interest in you as a teenager?

AH: The Saints called to see if I would be interested in having a few training runs at Moorabbin. Mum answered the phone and told them I had just had an arthroscopy on both my knees to remove some cartilage.

BG: Obviously not the news the Saints wanted to hear?

AH: They hung up straight away and I never heard from them again. I love my mum but geez I was dirty on her for quite a few days after she told me that.

BG: Your surfing took you to some amazing destinations?

AH: We went on a few trips to Indonesia, Western Australia and the south coast of NSW. Locally we surfed at Phillip Island.

BG: Did you ever seriously injure yourself surfing?

AH: I broke a few ribs and smashed a few teeth. The board hit me in the mouth and my lip got stuck in my teeth and I had to go to hospital to get pulled out which left a bit of a scar.

BG: Both painful injuries?

AH: I was fortunate it didn't hit me in the temple and knock me out because I probably would have ended up drowning.

BG: You decided to return to football in 1993 and join Hampton Park as a 23-year-old?

AH: It was tough footy but there were some big names running around in the competition.

BG: Legendary full-forward Simon Goosey was playing for Mornington?

AH: Goosey was a freak and a goalkicking machine who kicked a ton on 12 occasions throughout his career.

BG: You played alongside enigmatic full-forward Daniel Casset who also had a stint at Rennie in the early 2000s?

AH: Danny was a different cat but there was no doubt he was one of the most talented players that I have seen. He used to love to strut around in his leather dacks after matches like he was some sort of rock star.

BG: How did Casset end up at Rennie?

AH: Mick Hill was coaching us at Hampton Park and was appointed coach of Rennie in 2004. His two big signings were Casset and Terry McKinley.

BG: You predominantly played at centre half-forward throughout most of your career?

AH: I started as a centre half-back at Hampton Park for about half a season before switching forward for pretty much the rest of my career.

BG: One of your biggest assets was your strong-marking in contested situations?

AH: I think I had the ability to read the flight of the ball better than most and then it's just a matter of trying to hold your opponent out.

BG: You were a prodigious kick of the football?

AH: I probably was early on in my career before the legs started to get a bit older.

BG: Winning a best and fairest in your first year of senior football was an impressive effort?

AH: It was a bit of a surprise at the time considering some of the talent we had in the side.

BG: You were elevated to captain of Hampton Park in 1995?

AH: That was an honour especially when we won back to back flags in 1997-98.

BG: You also won another best and fairest in 2000?

AH: That was my last season at Hampton Park, I think I played around 140 matches there.

BG: In 2001 you decided to relocate to the Border?

AH: I came up to Albury for a bucks weekend and ended up at the Ritz nightclub. Anyhow I had had a few too many and fell over and also knocked over a female who I didn't know. She introduced herself as Callie.

BG: You and Callie started dating soon afterwards?

AH: I moved to Albury about three months later to be with Callie who is now my wife. I basically quit my job, quit the footy club and relocated to Albury without knowing anyone apart from Callie.

BG: You were on the lookout for a new job as well as somewhere to play football?

AH: I received a phone call from Wodonga. Brendan Smith from Country Wide Pools & Spas offered me a job which I jumped at the opportunity and signed with the Bulldogs.

BG: You won the Bulldogs' goalkicking?

AH: Instead of playing centre half-forward I played more on a flank or in a pocket which I wasn't used to. I struggled a bit with my accuracy in front of goals for some reason that season.

BG: You played alongside some stars at the kennel?

AH: Leon Higgins was coach and they had a stack of talent in the side. Blokes like Paul and Neville Nugent, Danny Cohen, Leigh Cameron and Brad Thompson.

BG: You couldn't train as often as you liked?

AH: Working in the pool business I used to work away a lot at places like Hay and Tocumwal and I couldn't get to training a lot of the time.

BG: You struggled with the professionalism of the O&M and not being meant to drink alcohol on a Thursday and Friday night before matches?

AH: I didn't mind having a few beers during the week and I remember when I first arrived at the kennel a few people looked at me a bit strange when I was sipping on a beer after training.

BG: Higgins pulled you aside?

AH: Leon basically told me to give up the grog during the week if I wanted to play seniors. I understood what he was telling me but it was hard for me to shake the habit.

BG: What were your first impressions of the O&M?

AH: Living in Melbourne you would always hear stories about how strong a league the O&M was. It was certainly a great standard of football to play and a good experience.

BG: Not knowing anybody at the club, the Bulldogs quickly made you feel welcome?

AH: I got on well with Keith Ainsworth because I worked alongside him. Keith missed that season with a knee injury. I was also mates with Nev Nugent who got me to Federal as coach later in my career.

BG: You got offered the Rand coaching job while at Martin Park?

AH: Tony Way was reserves coach at Wodonga and took a few of us out to Rand one night to help with training.

BG: After training finished Pigeon officials including Russell Mathews were quick to pounce and asked if you would be interested in coaching?

AH: I was a bit surprised at the time because I didn't want to back door Dave Coulston who was the coach. I basically said I will have a chat at the end of the season if you are still interested.

BG: History says you replaced Coulston as coach the following season in 2002?

AH: I don't think 'Coulsto' was too happy with the club's decision. But we ended up becoming good friends and I call him dad when I see him now, I've got that much respect for the bloke.

BG: Did Coulston remain at Rand?

AH: I think he took off to Walla for a year but came back the following season which was great.

BG: Coulston virtually saved Rand when he first took over as coach after a mass player exodus?

AH: Dave did a fantastic job and was no doubt instrumental in the club surviving as long as it did before the merger with Walbundrie.

BG: The Coreen league would have been a big drop in standard for you?

AH: It was but you still had to earn a kick. You see blokes coming out of the AFL all the time and playing in the minor leagues, it doesn't guarantee that you are going to dominate.

BG: How did you find the Coreen league?

AH: I loved every moment of my time at Rand.

BG: How did you find coaching?

AH: I probably initially struggled with addressing the players. I remember the first practice match I was nervous about it because I'm a fairly quiet natured bloke.

BG: Did you land many recruits?

AH: We got Kelvin Parnell and Jason 'Freak' Vildovas back out to Rand from Murray Magpies. I didn't know them at the time but they were quick to tell me that they were a couple of prized signings.

BG: You didn't make a good first impression with Parnell?

AH: Kelvin tells the story that when we went around to sign him that he thought I was a mute and didn't say anything.

BG: A few of the locals weren't too happy about Rand signing players from the Murray Magpies?

AH: 'Spud' Webster and a few of the locals were fuming when Kelvin and Jason left Rand to go to the Magpies and I guess you can say they have got long memories when it comes to stuff like that.

BG: 'Freak' was nursing a hangover when the Pigeons held an intra club match?

AH: I saw 'Freak' as a key defender in our side so he played on me. I remember after the first contest 'Freak' was bent over and spewing after having a big one the previous night.

BG: 'Spud' Webster is a legend out at Rand after playing more than 300 matches?

AH: 'Spud' was a back pocket specialist when I was coach because there was no other spot for him. He could only kick the ball 20 metres and he knew that.

BG: You were one of the more high-profile recruits running around in the Coreen league. Did any opposition sides try and go the knuckle on you?

AH: Not really, Wahgunyah probably had a couple of players that would try and rough you up a bit. But it was something that I was used to really after playing for Hampton Park.

BG: You actually didn't mind copping a whack to the back of your head?

AH: I used to use it as motivation. Unless I copped a real cheap shot I would seldom retaliate and would focus on winning the next contest.

BG: You led the Pigeons to three successive finals campaigns from 2002?

AH: We lost two preliminary finals including one to Coleambally by less than a kick.

BG: You landed a high-profile recruit in 2003 in former St Kilda forward Rod 'Rocket' Owen?

AH: I remember the headline in the paper at the time was something like 'Rocket man flies into Rand' or something like that.

BG: Owen was a massive drawcard for the league?

AH: After he played a couple of matches word got around and people would drive a long way just to come and watch him. Some games he couldn't make it and people would get to the gate and find out he wasn't playing and turn around and go home again.

BG: How many matches did he end up playing?

AH: It would have only been half-a-dozen matches but it was good while it lasted.

BG: James Kreutzberger tipped you over the edge one day during your half-time address in the club rooms?

AH: We were playing CDU and were getting beat and I was trying to rev the boys up. James interrupted me to tell me that the CDU reserves coach was in our room listening.

BG: How did you react to the news?

AH: I was fuming with James for interrupting and said 'James I don't give two hoots who is in here' and as I said it went to kick the tray of water bottles at him.

BG: You were left red-faced?

AH: I booted the water tray that hard, my foot got stuck in it and I couldn't get it off and everybody started laughing. As the players were running back on after half-time I was still in the rooms trying to get the damn thing off.

BG: Kreutzberger had a tendency to grind your gears?

AH: James seemed to have that effect on me. I actually tried to line him up one day and take him out because he was annoying me that much. I nailed him even though he was one of my own teammates.

BG: Sometimes Rand would have all four Kreutzberger's playing on the ball?

AH: Adam would be in the ruck then there would be James, Chris and Mark in the midfield. I wasn't a big fan of that because they would wax off each other all the time.

BG: After three years coaching at Rand you decided to head back to Melbourne for employment reasons?

AH: Daryl Robinson was going to coach the Pigeons and I intended to go back to Hampton Park. We sold the house and moved to Melbourne for a couple of months over the off-season but the sale fell through so we moved back.

BG: Speaking of Robinson, he had a moment of madness and wanted to go toe-to-toe with you?

AH: We were on the drink in his backyard and he walked out with two pairs of boxing gloves. Daryl put one pair on and handed me the other.

BG: Did you end up fighting him?

AH: I said 'I'm not going to hit you until you hit me first.' So he planted one on me and it was on. It didn't end well for him.

BG: You took the Pigeons' coaching job for a fourth season in 2005?

AH: There had been a bit of an exodus over the off-season and we were struggling to get a side most weeks.

BG: You were part of one of the most embarrassing losses in league history when CDU kicked the third highest score of 45.22 (292)?

AH: I remember after that match Dave Coulston, Steve Martini, Kelvin Parnell and myself came back to my place and decided to drown our sorrows. There's not much you can say when you cop a flogging like that.

BG: How do you explain the loss?

AH: From memory four or five blokes didn't turn up. 'Bluey' Trethowan came out of retirement and we were basically pulling blokes out of the crowd so we had enough players.

BG: Coulston amazingly notched his 550th senior match in 2005?

AH: Dave is just a legend of bush footy. Nobody ever knew how old he was because he wouldn't tell you. But he must have been pushing 50 that season.

BG: You and Coulston gatecrashed the Walbundrie ball one night?

AH: 'Coulsto' wanted to go but the dress was formal and you were meant to wear a tie and I didn't have one. So 'Coulsto' made me a tie from baling twine from the back of his ute.

BG: You didn't mind a bit of crossdressing for a bit of a laugh during your time at Rand?

AH: I remember quite a few times I would get the boys to drop me off at one of the supporters' houses and I would flog one of their dresses and wear it for the night.

BG: One of the supporters recognised your dress one night?

AH: One of the old ducks came up to me and said 'I have a dress exactly the same as that.' I didn't have the heart to tell her that I had flogged it from her place earlier in the day.

BG: You will go down in history as the last coach of the Pigeons in 2005 with the club merging with Walbundrie the following season?

AH: It was an emotional week in the lead-up to the final match. It was amazing the amount of players that turned up to training that week and wanted to play and be a part of it all.

BG: You scored a huge upset?

AH: We had been getting flogged all year but we beat Wahgunyah who were one of the flag contenders that season.

BG: It set the scene for a big night?

AH: I said to the players after the match if they had shown that sort of commitment for the whole season we could have been playing finals. We had a big night and I was still drinking at the club rooms when the sun came up.

BG: You fell asleep on a bench seat in the club rooms?

AH: I woke up and realised I was cable tied to the bench and saw 'Spud' running off in the distance.

BG: You had a few seasons with Rand-Walbundrie after the merger?

AH: I played under Dale 'Rat' Smith and Marcus Osborne.

BG: No doubt it would have been interesting playing under Osborne?

AH: 'Ossie' couldn't keep his hands to himself and spent a fair amount of time coaching from the sidelines after getting rubbed out.

BG: After two years at Rand-Walbundrie you decided to take the coaching gig at Federal in 2009?

AH: Nev Nugent got in contact with me and it all went from there. Nev was still running around back then and I used to crash at his place a bit.

BG: You injured your knee mid-season?

AH: I did my PCL playing against Tumbarumba. I did it at the start of the game and got it strapped up and came back on and kicked seven.

BG: You never had your knee operated on?

AH: I was running my own landscaping business at the time and couldn't afford to take the time off. It probably wasn't my smartest decision because my knee gives me a fair bit of grief now.

BG: The rivalry between Corryong and Federal was still alive and well?

AH: We went to the Corryong Pub one night because there was a band playing. I got introduced to a few of the Corryong stalwarts but they wouldn't shake my hand because I was the coach of Federal.

BG: You thought it was strange?

AH: I did. Wherever I coached I always encouraged the players to have a beer with the opposition and support them. I used to love the Coreen league and catching up with blokes like big Jack Ferguson from Rennie and Terry Mardling from CDU.

BG: Did you get paid much throughout your career?

AH: I never went chasing dollars. When I was coaching Rand I was paid a bit but I would like to think that I put most of it back through the club anyway.

BG: Did you ever get reported?

AH: Not once.

BG: Did you drink much on a Friday night during your career?

AH: I would have probably had half-a-dozen beers most of the time to help me sleep.

BG: What would you regard as your career highlight?

AH: Captaining Hampton Park to two flags is right up there and playing inter-league down in Melbourne. Just being part of Rand and the community out there is also something that I cherish.

BG: Any regrets?

AH: Probably leaving Rand-Walbundrie to coach Federal. With hindsight I should have just finished my career with the Tigers.

BG: What did the merger mean to you?

AH: It was different but that was to be expected I guess. In a lot of ways it was a new club and you had to earn the respect of the Walbundrie locals. But it has worked out for the best.