How Riewoldt helped the Supercars champ

SUPERCARS champion Scott McLaughlin has hailed Richmond star Jack Riewoldt for providing the breakthrough that allowed him to process the mental demons of his botched 2017 campaign.

Riewoldt referred his close mate McLaughlin to Melbourne mindfulness consultant Emma Murray after her significant role in helping Richmond’s players during the 2017 premiership season.

In a new book charting his stunning 2018 title victory Road to Redemption: A Championship Journey, McLaughlin admits he only considered using Murray because Dustin Martin thanked her in his 2017 Brownlow acceptance speech.

The expert used by Richmond and St Kilda allowed him to process the way in which he coughed up a 78point championship lead on the final day of the 2017 season, before attacking the next season with purpose.

Riewoldt writes in the introduction to the book that he knew McLaughlin needed the kind of help Murray had given Richmond after his loss.

“After Newcastle 2017, I could see Scott was in a bad spot, really having lost the unlosable — it was brutal the way that final race played out. It could have hurt him forever; people calling him a choker, people saying he’s not able to perform on the big stage. I didn’t want that,’’ Riewoldt wrote. “Scotty still being so young, I wanted to help him.

“As a leader of Richmond’s playing group, I felt like I could support him. The Tigers were in a similar hole at the end of 2016. We changed our thinking, tried a different process and brought a lady by the name of Emma Murray into the club to help get our minds right — well before we started the next season.

“It worked wonders for us, so I gave Scott the number if he wanted to call her. I didn’t force it on him, just put it out there. Initially he might have been hesitant, but working with Emma opened his eyes.

“He worked so hard on the mental aspect of himself well before he even got in the car. I believe we at the Tigers were ahead of the game, and now I think other drivers in the sport will follow Scott’s lead.”

McLaughlin was initially reluctant to deal with Murray, but now labels her his “secret weapon” after he and Riewoldt grew close enough as mates for the dual Coleman medallist to reach out.

McLaughlin won the 2018 title in a drama-filled last day by finishing second in the final race of the season.