Retiring Richmond star Jack Riewoldt has revealed he knew heading into 2023 it would “more than likely” be his last AFL season.
After much speculation about his future, Riewoldt announced on Tuesday he would play his 347th and final AFL game for the Tigers, drawing a close to a storeyed career.
The three-time Coleman medallist told AFL 360 he could’ve played on in 2024, but decided calling it quits this season was the right option.
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“To be honest, it‘s probably been from the start of the season that I’ve known that this would more than likely be my last year,” he said.
“Possibly I could’ve played on, but to what sort of detriment to myself?
“I don’t want to get halfway through a season next year and be like, ‘Ah, I’m sick of this.’ I really do believe that the club now is in its next era.”
Riewoldt’s era will conclude with three premierships, with the breakthrough 2017 flag kickstarting a dynasty that will be forever remembered by the yellow and black army.
His retirement will coincide with Trent Cotchin, with the former captain also finishing up on Saturday against North Melbourne.
It forms part of a changing of the guard that Riewoldt was acutely aware of on Tuesday night.
“You think of probably the five most important people at the football club over the last six years have been probably Brendon Gale, myself, Trent, Dustin and Peggy. There’s only two of them still there now,” he said.
“Now is this time for this next generation of players that have sat under great leadership, arguably one of the greatest captains to have ever captained in the AFL in Trent Cotchin and a couple of offsiders in myself and Rancey who tried to help him along the way and obviously the leadership of Peggy and Brendan.
“Now they get the opportunity to transform it into the next era of Richmond, the next generation of Richmond.
“They’ll take things from what we’ve taught them and learnings of what we’ve taught them but they get to rediscover and rebrand themselves and that’ll happen under a new character, whether that’s Andrew McQualter or someone else who’s going through the process at the moment.”
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