Jack Riewoldt
Jack Riewoldt is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League. He is a three-time premiership player, a three-time Coleman Medallist, a three-time All-Australian, an 12-time Richmond club leading goalkicker, a two-time Jack Dyer Medallist and a Tasmanian Football Hall-of-Famer. He served as Richmond's vice captain during all three premiership seasons.
Early life and junior football
Riewoldt was born in Hobart, Tasmania, to parents Chris and Lesley Riewoldt.He was raised in the east Hobart suburb of Bellerive and played junior football for Clarence in Tasmania's SFL. He briefly relocated to the Gold Coast early in his life when his father accepted an offer to play for the Coolangatta Blues with his three brothers in the GCAFL, but the family would return to Hobart a year later. In 2005, Riewoldt made his senior debut with Clarence at age 16, then went on to play with the club through its finals series including a losing grand final where he kicked four goals. The following year he again played in a senior grand final with Clarence, this time a member of the club's victorious side.
He later played and trained with the Tassie Mariners at TAC Cup level and represented his state at the 2006 AFL Under 18 Championships. In three matches at the championships, he kicked a total of eight goals and was named in his side's best players on two occasions.
In 2006, he played eight matches for the Tasmanian Devils in the VFL. One particularly noteworthy game came against Bendigo, where he kicked four goals and took 13 marks.
He attended high school at St Virgil's and Rosny College in Hobart.
Prior to the draft, AFL Media's Matt Burgen labelled him a "goal-kicking forward who is extremely strong overhead." He was however considered both short and slow for his position, with North Melbourne recruiting manager Neville Stibbard later remarking that he did not believe Riewoldt was "athletic or tall enough to play key position at either end." Richmond recruiting manager Francis Jackson later recalled Riewoldt's impressive football smarts and his ability to read the flight of the ball as key factors in his recruitment.
AFL career
2007 season
Riewoldt was drafted by with the club's first selection and the 13th selection overall in the 2006 AFL National Draft.He made his AFL debut in round 9 of the 2007 season, in the Dreamtime at the 'G match against at the MCG. He did not play the following week, next appearing in the senior side in round 14. He kicked his first career goal as part of a three-goal performance against in round 16. He would go on to play in five of the final six games of the season, finishing with seven goals from his eight senior matches that year.
2008 season
In 2008 Riewoldt established himself as a regular member of Richmond's senior team. He played his first match of the season in round 4 and missed just one more match that season, finishing with 18 matches played. His round 15 bag of five goals against was a then career-best. He kicked a total of 18 goals, good for fifth best at the club that season.2009 season
Riewoldt opened a season in Richmond's best-22 for the first time in season 2009, playing against 's in the clubs' round 1 match-up. In the first seven rounds of the season he booted seven goals, before missing the club's rounds 8 and 9 matches. He returned with two goals against in round 10, before adding three more in round 11 against the. Over the nine games following his absence he would score 20 goals, besting his season total from the year before. Included in this run was a six-goal performance in Richmond's round 17 victory over Essendon. Riewoldt was lauded by The Age's Jake Niall that week for his "footy smarts" and marking ability. He did not miss another game that season, finishing with 20 matches played and a team-second 32 goals. He also placed eighth in the club's best and fairest count.2010 season
2010 was a breakout year for Riewoldt.He started the season strongly, kicking 15 goals in his first seven matches. In the next eight matches between rounds 8 and 15, Riewoldt kicked a league-best 43 goals. It was the highest total over that many games since Matthew Lloyd nine years earlier.
He kicked a career best 10 goals in round 12 in a victory over. The haul included five first-quarter goals, with four coming within the first 11 minutes of play. He became the first player to kick 10 goals in a match since Jonathan Brown in 2007, and the first Richmond player since Matthew Richardson did so in 2004.
In round 21 Riewoldt was named best-on-ground for his 17 disposal, 11 mark and seven goal performance against St Kilda at Docklands Stadium. He thus became the first Richmond player to win the Ian Stewart Medal in its seven-year history.
For the first time in four-year career, Riewoldt finished the season having played every possible match.
His 78 goals was the most by any player in the league, earning him the Coleman Medal and the Michael Roach Medal as the league, and the club leading goalkicker respectively.
Four days after winning the Coleman, Riewoldt secured the Jack Dyer Medal as Richmond's best and fairest player. He was also named to the All-Australian team in the position of full forward.
Riewoldt was later selected to tour Ireland and represent Australia in the 2010 International Rules Series.
2011 season
Prior to the start of the 2011 season Riewoldt was added to the Richmond's six man leadership group.Following a six-goal start to the season against Carlton in round 1, he suffered a tougher fortnight to follow. He suffered a concussion early in the club's round 2 match with and was substituted before he was able to record an impact in any major statistical category. He was seen crawling up the stairs connecting the change rooms to the field and arguing forcefully to be returned to the match. Riewoldt earned criticism from coach Damien Hardwick in April, told he needed to change his on-field demeanour after being seen yelling at teammate Dustin Martin and giving the finger to the bench in round 3. He was also fined $1,200 by the AFL for the hand gesture. He was criticised by Robert Walls in The Age for selfish play; Walls said Riewoldt had "become an individual in a team sport."
He worked his way into unprecedented form in the following six matches however, kicking four goals four times and bags of five on two occasions. His form remained strong for the rest of the season, despite lower goal kicking tallies the result of Hardwick enacting his pre-season plan to play Riewoldt further up the ground. For the second straight year he won the club leading goalkicker award and played in each of the club's 22 matches. Riewoldt's 62 goals saw him place second in the race for the Coleman Medal behind Lance Franklin. Riewoldt placed ninth in the club's best and fairest count that season.
In September it was revealed Riewoldt had played through injuries all season and would require four surgeries; one on each hip, one on his finger and another on his left ankle. He was also dealing with rib cartilage damage suffered after a training accident.
2012 season
Following an off-season of surgeries and recovery, Riewoldt started the season inaccurately, kicking five goals and nine behinds through his first three matches. He was back to his best by mid-season through, kicking bags of six and eight goals in back-to-back matches in round 9 and 10 against and respectively. The round 10 victory was Riewoldt's 100th career match and Richmond's first win over St Kilda since 2003. He also kicked bags of five goals in rounds 16 and 20 matches against Gold Coast and the Western Bulldogs.For the second time in three years Riewoldt topped the league's goal scoring race at season's end, securing the Coleman Medal for the 2012 season. He entered the club's final match of the season three goals behind tied-leaders Matthew Pavlich and Tom Hawkins, but booted six goals to finish with 65 on the season and two clear of the pair. Riewoldt became just the second Richmond player to win multiple Coleman Medals and tied Michael Roach's club record in doing so. Through he was selected in the initial nominees, Riewoldt ultimately went unnamed in the year's All-Australian team. He was considered a controversial omission according to Warwick Green and Matt Windley of the Herald Sun. He placed ninth at the club in the season's best and fairest award.
2013 season
The 2012–13 off-season again saw Riewoldt going under the knife for minor surgeries, the recovery of which forced him onto a limited training load. Before the season had officially begun Riewoldt had already shown his worth, kicking a goal after the siren to win Richmond's pre-season match-up with. During that series he also captained Richmond for the first time, doing so against in an eight-point victory.While he was held goal-less in round 1's win over, Riewoldt responded the following week with a seven-goal haul against. He backed up the performance the following week, kicking five more goals in a victory over the.
Riewoldt attracted media criticism during round 5's one point loss to, labelled "a primma donna" by Mark Maclure after he reacted angrily to teammates following the close loss.
All season Riewoldt had been the subject of media speculation concerning his contract and playing future. He was reported to have received offers from Fremantle, but preempted trade approaches by signing a new three-year deal with Richmond in late July.
After 17 rounds Riewoldt was placed third on the league's goal-kicking tally, having amassed 47 to that point. He finished the season with 57 goals, his lowest tally since 2009 but still managed to win a fourth straight club leading goalkicker award.
He played in his first career final in September, when Richmond lost to in an elimination final at the MCG. Riewoldt placed equal seventh in the club's best and fairest count at season's end. He placed third in the league for goal assists.