Jumping Jack No Longer

Tiger forward Jack Riewoldt played his final game in Round 23. It is also Trent Cotchin's final game. Cotchin announced his retirement ahead of Round 22.Riewoldt said he had been considering retirement for most of the season. He joked he really knew it was time to make the call during the loss to St Kilda, when in the process of taking a hanger (a mark or high catch of the ball) he was only being able to knee Saint Jack Sinclair "just above the tailbone", rather than on the shoulder or upper back. Riewoldt, 34, retires with the second most games for the Tigers to his name.

JACK RIEWOLDT

Riewoldt was the heir apparent to fellow Tasmanian and Tiger Matthew Richardson. Their careers dovetailed and it was Riewoldt's arrival which was partly responsible for Richardson's move from the forward line to the wing.

Riewoldt said, "I am ready for the next chapter, and I think the club is ready to regenerate and find a new path forward. "I never thought my journey would get this far or that I would be a part of anything like what I have been. But I am so thankful for everyone who has played a part." He also said he was most proud of helping instigate the cultural change that was the catalyst for the club's first premiership in 37 years, "In 2017, we probably weren't the most talented list ... but we had a superpower we'd created right down there in the Graeme Richmond Room (club auditorium), through the ability to connect on a different level. We were an amazing defensive team that year, but we had a trust we unlocked. Other people saw it as a strength and copied it, but ultimately, we were the only team that could do it at that time. It was unique to us, and I'm really proud of that. I spoke to the guys about the legend of St Rose café (in Essendon). That was where Trent and I sat down and spoke about legacy, what it looked like for us as older players at the time, and what it looked like for the club. How we could create that 11th premiership for the likes of Daniel Rioli ... in his second year ... it happened within a year. We turned in, everyone invested, and we found the thing that connected the group together, which was storytelling and that famous 'triple H' (hero, hardship and highlight categories) which we used to share with each other, and it turned around in the space of five or six months ... ".

On the field, Riewoldt spent most of his career having to be the primary goalkicker. This year, he has had to take much of the load in the absence of the injured Tom :Lynch. Not overly tall like tom Hawkins or Harry McKay, he relies on his smarts and intelligent reading of the play to get to advantageous positions to catch the ball or position himself between a defender and the ball when it hits the ground.

Games: 348 (at the end of Round 23)
Goals 786 (through Round 22)
Premierships 2017, 2018. 2020
All-Australian 2010, 2015, 2018
Coleman Medal (AFL leading goalkicker) 2010, 2012, 2018
Club best and fairest 2010, 2018
Rising Star nominee 2008
Richmond leading goalkicker 2010-2018, 2020-2021
Vice-captain 2017-present
He sits 13th on the AFL goals list and third for goals
in Richmond's history

Source: afl.com.au, sen.com.au