Jared Rivers Biography

Jared Rivers is promoted to Collingwood's VFL coach after serving as a development coach at the Magpies since the end of 2015.

"I think the whole culture down there is fantastic," Rivers said.

"The non-AFL listed (players) have got a great attitude and are really willing to work hard. That balance with the AFL listed (players) coming back and playing makes it a good place to be around."

Jared Rivers is awarded life membership of the Demons.

“When you come into a club at such a young age and you experience so many different situations along the way, I think it has definitely made [me] the person I am today and I’m proud of that fact,” Rivers said.

“Coming into an organisation that was great to me for 10 years and [getting] to meet so many fantastic people within the organisation, and also to come away with some really close friends, is a pretty good thing.”

Jared Rivers has announced his immediate retirement from AFL football after 194 games due to a torn meniscus that requires surgery.

Rivers joined Geelong as a free agent at the end of the 2013 season after 150 games with Melbourne and was an excellent performer in 44 games despite battling a knee injury for much of his time at the Cats.

He finished sixth in the Cats' best and fairest in 2014 and was a member of the Cats' 2013 team that lost the preliminary final by five points to Hawthorn.

"I went there (Cats) to win a premiership, and I got close but didn't quite get there," he said.

"But to have the opportunity to play in a few finals and play alongside some great players at the Cats, I couldn't be happier.

"I feel lucky to have played for the two oldest clubs in the competition. I couldn't have picked two better clubs to play footy for."

Jared Rivers says he is almost certain that he will retire at the end of the 2015 season.

"At this stage I'm 90 per cent sure this will be my last year and, knowing that in my head, mentally it's given me the last seven weeks to enjoy it as much as I can and enjoy the lifestyle," Rivers said.

Rivers said he was aware he needed seven games to reach the 200-game milestone.

"It's a big thing for some people, and for me, who has had an up and down career with injuries and also playing at two different clubs, I'd love to try and get to 200," he said.

"It's been a battle, but there's still a chance to get there and it would be a proud moment for me."

Jared Rivers says is not contemplating his future beyond this season even though he has hit a rich vein of form in recent weeks.

"It's only round six. I know where I'm at physically [and] mentally I am fine, it's just more physically for me," Rivers said.

"It's just getting through the next few weeks. I look forward to the split round and then continue my season on from there."

Jared Rivers has been rewarded for his outstanding 2014 campaign with a one-year contract extension with the Cats.

"I'm very thankful for the opportunity the Cats gave me two seasons ago and it was an easy decision to stay on with the club," Rivers said.

"My teammates have made me feel welcome from day one and I'm enjoying every minute of being here.

"My body is feeling great and the knowledge that we have a big opportunity not only this year but going forward made it an easy decision."

Jared Rivers' knee injury is worse than first suspected with the defender now expected to miss two months.

"The medical staff thought it was a slight medial (ligament strain)," Geelong coach Chris Scott said.

"But it was more painful than they would expect with that kind of injury.

"His medial ligament is fine. There's just some cartilage damage that potentially will need to be repaired, but we haven't made a decision on exactly what process we'll go through there."

After playing in a winning only 21 times in his six seasons at Melbourne, Cat recruit Jared Rivers says he relished being involved in Geelong's NAB Cup win over Adelaide.

"I walked off the ground with a big smile, even though it was just the NAB Cup," Rivers said.

"It was really exciting to play like we did and win like we did. It was exciting to get out there and get a few kicks and win a game of footy, which I haven't done for a while."

Jared Rivers hopes to create some good memories of Simonds Stadium now that he is a Geelong player.

I just can't wait to have some success, hopefully," Rivers said.

"I still think Geelong has got a really good list and a good core of older players, and the young guys coming through are outstanding.

"I think they've still got a real crack at winning a premiership, and I'm excited by that."

Melbourne defender Jared Rivers has signed a two-year contract with Geelong, moving to the Cats as an unrestricted free agent.

Jared Rivers' manager Nigel Carmody says his client may remain at Melbourne despite being an unrestricted free agent.

"By no stretch is he definitely leaving Melbourne," Carmody said.

"We're not in a position for him to be able to assess his future properly at the moment because we simply don't have all the facts."

Geelong football manager Neil Balme says Demons defender Jared Rivers and Roos ruckman Hamish McIntosh remain in its sights.

Melbourne's Jared Rivers has again scoffed at suggestions the players have an issue with new coach Mark Neeld.

"I personally think it is pretty poor journalism. The story has been around eight or nine weeks now and it is just a non-story," Rivers said.

"We are all supportive of Mark (Neeld) and the playing group and the leadership group. We've moved on and we're just trying to help each other out and move this club forward and take it up where it needs to be…could be time for a new story I reckon."

Jared Rivers says he, as a senior player, is focused on helping to fast-track the Demons' talented youngsters during a difficult season.

"It's definitely been tough but we've got to get that positive mindset," Rivers said.

"I'm one of the older guys and if I am looking flat and down around the young group it's definitely going to show them that I am not giving 100 per cent so [I] definitely try to keep my body language upbeat and my mindset [positive]."

Jared Rivers has been a mentor to the Demons' young players and is the unofficial leader of the club's backline.

"It's a tough caper, footy. Blokes come out these days better prepared for it. When you face injury, get dropped, suspended or go through some bad form, it can play with you a bit," Rivers said.

"It's about letting them know you've really got to work hard and be strong throughout the footy season mentally and physically. It is a tough caper and a lot of our senior players give the boys some great advice. The guys want to learn and improve quickly which is what we're all about."

Brad Green has been named the captain of Melbourne, with vice-captains Aaron Davey, Brent Moloney and Jared Rivers.

"It's certainly a great honour and an exciting challenge to lead this group in 2011. It's a privilege that I will cherish," Green said.

"This club has come a long way since I walked into Junction Oval on my first day at the club back in 2000, and that's reflective of where we are as a team. We have come a long way, but I'm excited about where we are going.

Melbourne defender Jared Rivers says a strong pre-season should contribute to him having his best year at Melbourne.

"A big pre-season can build you up for the season. I've had no concerns over the pre-season and being appointed to the leadership group has been fantastic for me as well," Rivers said.

"It gives you a lot of confidence knowing you've done all of the work and it definitely gets you cherry ripe for the season ahead. I'm up for any challenge at the moment."

Jared Rivers is happy to finally have a proper pre-season after being selected to be part of Melbourne's leadership group.

"I had a few bad years there with injury so it's good to be recognised by your teammates and it's an exciting time for me," he said.

"I had two operations and I've never been better. It's the first pre-season I've had for five years. I'm training every session now and I feel great."

Aaron Davey and Jared Rivers have been added to Melbourne's leadership group with Davey announcing his attentions to one day captain the side.

"You'd be silly not to want to do that. We've got a great captain in James McDonald, but if the chance ever came up I'd be more than happy to put my hand up," Davey said.

"It would be something special to have an indigenous guy, the oldest Australian people, be the captain of the oldest Australian football club. It would be something unheard of before."

Essendon has confirmed Henry Slattery is in the box seat to replace Mark McVeigh in the side to face Carlton at the MCG tomorrow night.

McVeigh was suspended for one-match for striking Melbourne's Jared Rivers.

Midfielder Mark McVeigh is 'hugely disappointed' to miss the Carlton blockbuster after being suspended for striking Melbourne's Jared Rivers, says Essendon coach Matthew Knights.

"Mark is a very passionate young man; he's very tribal, and I know he loves big clashes against Collingwood and Carlton and teams like that," Knights said.

"He's a hugely disappointed young man at the moment and particularly because he hasn't played a lot this season with injury.

"He's missed a lot of football and he feels pretty low at the moment."

Essendon coach Matthew Knights will be sweating on the match review panel's verdict after Mark McVeigh was reported for striking Melbourne's Jared Rivers.

"I must admit I'd just come down from the box just before the break and I saw the scuffle break out," Knights said after the game.

"I was just preferring that our boys kept themselves out of trouble. That wasn't the case.

"I haven't seen the incident live yet, so I'll have a look at that when I go home tonight. I've just got to see how it looks."

Injuries have forced Demon defender Jared Rivers to re-evaluate football and the place it has in his life.

"Definitely the first couple of years, I thought: How good is this? I was playing in wins and finals and having a good season and then to get struck down with injury, I didn't realise how mental AFL really was," Rivers said.

"It's mentally challenging, as is the physical side of it, but being injured all of the time, mentally, it can be a very lonely place. Your job at a footy club is to play footy and when you're not doing that, it's definitely a tough time.

"I've definitely learned a lot of things from that. You've just got to jump on the front foot - you can't expect things to happen, so you've got to look outside as well to get help and recovery. It's definitely challenging, which I don't think people realise."

Jared Rivers has chosen to contest his fine for making negligent contact with an umpire.

The match review panel yesterday fined him $1950 for making contact with umpire Justin Schmitt during the third quarter of Melbourne's loss to Adelaide on Sunday.

Jared Rivers is looking forward to adding some experience to a green Demons defence after two horror years with injury.

Despite enduring horrendous conditions in Cairns, the Demons emerged with their first pre-season win in nine games since March 2007.

Not only did they notch a rare win, but former Rising Star Jared Rivers got through half a game after a horrific battle with groin and hip problems.

Melbourne key defender Jared Rivers continues to suffer wretched luck with injury, rolling his ankle in an intraclub game this morning.