ANDREW McQualter is not the type to showboat.

So it took more than a few people by surprise on Monday night when the St Kilda utility followed a goal by turning to the cameras and crossing his arms in an uncharacteristic flashy celebration.

The gesture was not about drawing attention to himself, rather he was forming an ‘X’ in tribute to injured teammate Xavier Clarke.

“He is one of my good mates and he is going to miss out for the rest of the season (with a knee injury),” McQualter said.

“I was out to dinner with him a couple of nights before the game and he mentioned to me that if I kicked one to get around him a bit. I probably carried on a little bit too much but as long as he appreciated it.”

The 22-year-old has developed a close friendship with Clarke and the injured Saint’s little brother Raphael and said he has kept in close contact since Xavier ruptured his ACL while playing for the club’s VFL affiliate Sandringham two weeks ago.

 “He’s going OK. He understands he’s in for a long road ahead and he is really disappointed. But he has been quite positive about it so far,” McQualter said.

“His girlfriend and her family are looking after him at the moment. He will be OK. He will do the hard yards and he’ll be back I’m sure.”

McQualter has played every game this season after fighting his way off the scrapheap. At the end of 2007 he was delisted by the Saints, but given another chance via the rookie list.

While he is yet to put a foot wrong this season, he knows only too well how quickly it can all disappear, and is grateful for every minute of AFL football he plays.

McQualter is one of many senior players to have rebuilt a career at St Kilda. Jarryn Geary, Robert Eddy, Zac Dawson, Clint Jones and Stephen Milne all came through the rookie list and McQualter says the experience has taught them to be thankful for their position.

“We appreciate it. For me, I was out and gone after I was delisted. I appreciate every game and treat every game as though it is my last,” he said.

McQualter says there is no one thing he has specifically worked on to revive his career but gives praise to senior coach Ross Lyon as well as assistants Tony Elshaug and Leigh Tudor for showing faith in him.

He says Tudor, who crossed to the Saints from Geelong last summer, has played a key role of St Kilda’s impressive work up forward.

“He has been at successful clubs for a while. He’s been involved in four premierships in the last seven years. He has got a lot of experience and he has been great for us,” he said.

“Our forward pressure has been a big focus for us this year. It was meant to be a focus for us last year as well but we just weren’t that good at it.”

While Tudor has been a big help to McQualter’s career, it is an assistant coach at another club whose legacy he says is a big reason the Saints have enjoyed early season success.

Champion Saint and now Carlton assistant coach Robert Harvey was a model for McQualter and every other St Kilda player during his 21 years at Moorabbin, and the young charge said his example is still revered after his retirement in 2008.

“Harves has ingrained a work ethic within the footy club where a lot of blokes have looked up to him ever since they’ve been here,” he said.

“Everyone has looked up to his standards and work ethic and it rubs off. There are a lot of blokes now who have taken a lot from Harves.”