[1] Harvey was known for his running ability and considered one of the best short passes of 15 to 30 metres in the history of the game.

Currently, he ranks seventh in games played; Harvey was also the final active player from the VFL era of the league (pre-1990) to retire.

His younger brother, Anthony Harvey, played four games for St Kilda in 1994 before captaining Norwood to the 1997 SANFL premiership.

[4][5] Harvey played in the 1991 St Kilda team that qualified for the finals series for the first time since 1973.

He also won his second St Kilda best and fairest award and was selected in the All-Australian team for a second time.

[4][5] Harvey played in all 22 matches in the 1997 AFL regular season in which St Kilda qualified in first position for the finals series, winning the club’s second minor premiership and first McClelland Trophy.

[4][5] Harvey gained 756 disposals in 1997 which, at the time, was the highest single-season tally on record—an average of 30 possessions per game.

He played his 200th premiership season match that year against West Coast in round 21 at Waverley Park.

He again won the league's highest individual award, the Brownlow Medal, for a second consecutive season.

[9][10][4][5] St Kilda won a then club record 10 consecutive matches in the first 10 rounds of the 2004 AFL season.

[4][5] In round 7, 2006 against Geelong, in front of a near full house at Docklands Stadium, Harvey broke the all-time games record for St Kilda (until then held by Nathan Burke) when he played in his 324th premiership season match.

To celebrate, the Saints wore special guernseys with Harvey's silhouetted image in the centre.

[5] Harvey reached his 350th game against West Coast at Subiaco Oval in round 12, 2007, when the Saints defeated the reigning premiers by 23 points.

At 37 years of age, he played in 24 of St Kilda's 25 premiership season matches—including three finals—averaging 21 disposals per game.

Harvey was chaired off the ground by teammates Lenny Hayes and Max Hudghton to a respectful ovation, while players and officials from both sides formed a guard of honour.

The only players (at the time) to have played over 400 games in the VFL/AFL, Michael Tuck and Kevin Bartlett, both expressed their disappointment at what they both thought was a premature retirement, believing Harvey could have followed in their footsteps and reached the elusive 400-game milestone.

[13][4][5] Harvey received 215 Brownlow Medal votes during his career, the second-highest tally of any player in league history.

[15][16] In 1993, he participated in the State of Origin Carnival, performing on the big stage in the Grand Final, again winning the E. J. Whitten Medal.

[29] Harvey was replaced by Craig McRae as Collingwood Football Club senior coach.