From early doubts to giant status
WITH WITH GOLD GOLD COAST COAST JUNIOR JUNIOR NICK NICK RIEWOLDT RIEWOLDT BOWING BOWING OUT, OUT, WHERE WHERE DOES DOES HE HE RANK RANK ON ON THE THE ALL-TIME ALL-TIME LIST LIST OF OF QUEENSLAND QUEENSLAND AFL AFL PLAYERS? VOTE IN OUR ONLINE POLL AT GOLDC
IN the moments after his debut match in 2001, Nick Riewoldt asked his father, Joe, if he would be a “one-game wonder”.
The then 18-year-old had gathered only three disposals for St Kilda in a 97-point, Round 15 loss to Adelaide.
But the history books will have it as merely a poor start to a brilliant career, which the Saints’ star yesterday called time on after 17 seasons at the highest level.
Now 34, the champ known as Roo told coach Alan Richardson last week of his decision to retire at season’s end and broke the news to teammates yesterday morning before making the news public.
Flanked by parents Joe and Fiona, brother Alex, wife Catherine and children James and William, Riewoldt remained largely composed during a 32minute media conference, which was also watched by teammates and club staff at St Kilda’s Seaford headquarters.
Having had a strong drive to continue playing until recently beginning to ask questions of himself as speculation about his future mounted, Riewoldt said he “couldn’t be more convinced” that the time was right to hang up the boots.
“I’ve got to do something I love, play a sport I love, with a club that I absolutely love for 17 years,” Riewoldt said.
“While the 10-year-old boy in me would love for that to last forever, the reality is that it is time for me to step aside.
“I’ve given everything I possibly can to the game and to the footy club and there’s a little bit of petrol left in the tank but not much, so that’s why I’m really comfortable with the decision.
“To be a professional AFL footballer for half my life, I still have to pinch myself.
“It’s just been so much fun. I have been in an incredibly privileged position to be able to do what I love and call it a career.”
The No.1 draft pick in 2000, Riewoldt has played 333 games for a return of 714 goals as a key forward.
Summing up his time at the club as one that has gone “full circle”, the Saints finished 15th in Riewoldt’s first season in 2001 before building to make grand finals in 2009 and 2010 where premierships eluded them.
Another rebuild has since taken place and Riewoldt said he was determined to take part in one last finals series this
September. “I’ve got four games of footy and hopefully finals to play, so I’ll prepare the last part of the season as I always have with a view to play finals and contribute really strongly,” he said.
“I haven’t had time to look any further than that but I’m excited about the possibilities that exist.”
Riewoldt, the longestserving captain in St Kilda’s history, has won six club best-and-fairests and earned All-Australian honours five times.
His legacy extends to the creation of Maddie’s Match.
The now annual clash between St Kilda and Richmond raises money and awareness for aplastic anaemia, the rare disease that took the life of his sister, Maddie, in 2015.