Nick Riewoldt Biography

Brett Ratten hits back at criticism by Nick Riewoldt of his time as head coach of St Kilda.

"I can promise you now, the standards in that joint (St Kilda) over the last however long have been sub-par," Riewoldt said.

Ratten, however, indicated that Riewoldt would not have known how the club functioned during that period.

"The only time he (Riewoldt) came was for free physio, that's the only time he was at the club, so I don't know where he saw those standards," Ratten said.

"What can happen at footy clubs, and in life, is second-hand information can be distributed in the way (people) want. That's his opinion, I can't change it."

Nick Riewoldt is added to the Tasmanian AFL Taskforce to play a hands-on role in preparing a formal bid for a team from the state to join the AFL within the next 10 years.

"There is a real groundswell of support for the idea of Tasmania having its own AFL team and I'm very honoured to be joining the Taskforce – we have a lot of work to do and I'm excited about playing my part," Riewoldt said.

Cyril Rioli has been confirmed as the last sporting champion to take the plunge as part of the Big Freeze at the 'G on Monday.

The four-time premiership Hawk and Norm Smith medallist was locked in to be the 14th slider during Collingwood's clash with Melbourne on Queen's Birthday.

Chris Judd, Dane Swan, Nick Riewoldt, Jobe Watson and Sam Mitchell are some of the other ex-AFL stars preparing for the slide into icy water.

Nick Riewoldt has backed embattled St Kilda coach Alan Richardson and says he will not join the club's board for now.

Riewoldt has also hit back at claims that if was to become a board member, he would engineer Richardson's dismissal.

"I have a job in the media to call things as I see it - it's been really tough at various stages this year to talk about the Saints," he said.

"But to say I've gone over the top with my criticism is not accurate.

"To attack my integrity and suggest it's because I have an axe to grind, is completely irresponsible and unfair and unsubstantiated."

St Kilda are hopeful of Nick Riewoldt returning to the club as a board member.

"Nick is a terrific St Kilda person so if Nick is happy to be back involved in any capacity I think the club would of course welcome him," St Kilda president Andrew Bassat.

"I've had a conversation or two with Nick … he loves the club and I think would be happy to help in the right circumstances."

Jarryn Geary still seeks the guidance of former club captain Nick Riewoldt, but says he's not trying to emulate the St Kilda great's leadership style.

"He has been a great mentor for me, someone who I used a lot last year and someone who I continue to have conversations with now," Geary said of Riewoldt.

"I'm not looking to fill his shoes, I'm not as good a player as Nick, and he led in his own way. I'm just hoping I'm leading in my own way."

Nick Riewoldt receives the 2017 AFL Players' Association Madden Medal, awarded to a retiring player who had an outstanding career and has set himself up well off-field in terms of personal development and growth, as well as displaying community spirit.

"To receive any award which is voted on and overseen by your peers is a great honour, and to win one which also bears the Madden name is especially significant. Both Simon and Justin Madden achieved incredibly high standards in both their football and professional careers and have served as great motivation for hundreds of our alumni," Riewoldt said in a statement.

"I always believed that my actions on the field offered an insight into who I was as a person, and while incredibly important to me, I didn't want to be defined by them. Rather, I wanted to utilise the skills that football helped me develop on a platform that transcended sport."

St Kilda has temporarily retires Nick Riewoldt's famous No.12 jumper.

"We believe, and I know it's a view shared by many St Kilda supporters, that temporarily retiring the No.12 is the right call and honours the legacy Nick has created over past 17 years," Saints CEO Matt Finnis said.

"We know that it will be strange for many to see a Saints team without it, but I have no doubt that the day will come where we see the number 12 being proudly represented in the red, white and black again."

Seb Ross claims his first Trevor Barker award as St Kilda's best and fairest after a career-best season in 2017.

Ross finished with 159 votes ahead of gun backman Dylan Roberton (124) and captain Jarryn Geary (121).

Ross paid tribute to retirees Nick Riewoldt, Leigh Montagna, Sean Dempster and Sam Fisher, who finished up after the end of the 2016 season, for teaching him valuable lessons.

"The legacy you left on me, you taught me how to work as a young kid," Ross said.

"It probably took me three or four years to figure it out and those three or four years watching you guys each day in your own life, you just put your head down and your bums up and you worked hard, you're as loyal as they come, you're some of the greatest blokes I've ever met and I just wish you guys well in the future."

St Kilda coach Alan Richardson admits to being heavily disappointed in the Saints' final round loss to Richmond at the MCG.

St Kilda had the opportunity to nab an unlikely finals berth or honour a retiring great in Nick Riewoldt and they did neither.

"We had a chance to play finals if other things go our way and we do our part and also wanting to do the right thing by Nick," Richardson said.

"Then the score goes up in the warm-up that Essendon are 31 points up ... it was a really frustrating day.

"I said to the players before the game that it was as crook as I've felt in the guts before a game.

"We spoke about both scenarios and wanting to make our people proud but we let ourselves down, there's no doubt about that."

After finishing off a career that included 718 goals from 336 games, six club best and fairests, five All Australian and the 2004 AFL Players' Association MVP, Nick Riewoldt admits to having had doubts about his decision to retire.

"Absolutely in my private time I've had moments (I doubted my decision to retire)," Riewoldt said after his final game with the Saints against Richmond.

"Even various stages last week running around at Etihad, for my last home game, there were probably five or six times where I thought, 'Gee, I could do this for another two years', and then something would happen a couple of minutes and it's like, 'Nah, I'm done'.

"So you fight that, and have that wrestle internally, but it is absolutely the right time for me to finish. I am really excited about what's next. I don't think it would be the right time if I wasn't having those feelings."

Nick Riewoldt announces his retirement, to be effective at the end of the 2017 season.

"Like any big decision, it takes time and that's certainly been the case in this situation. Retirement's something that I would never have consciously gone out and explored myself, but that's just the way I'm wired," Riewoldt said.

"There's been a bit of noise this year that's dragged on. The more that's been spoken about, the more that's forced me to really evaluate myself and where I'm at and at times, I've been really defiant in my desire to continue to play.

"But the longer it went, the more I really internalised the conversation. With a big decision, you speak to those around you that you trust and the more I did that, the more the decision crystallised in my mind that it is the right time. I've given everything I possibly can to the game and the footy club."

Playing with a degenerative left knee and in the twilight of his career, champion forward Nick Riewoldt was afforded responsibility over his future few others would be allowed.

With his American wife Catherine's family based in Texas, the then-captain was given control over what his training program would look like.

Chris Pelchen, who was St Kilda's football manager before Jamie Cox, explained the freedom Riewoldt was given.

"In the last 12 months that I was at the club, which was in 2014, (Riewoldt) was on a program off-season which really he managed himself, because he was starting to travel to the US," Pelchen said.

"While the modified training program meant he didn't spend as much time on the track as he would've in his earlier years, he spent just as much time as any captain I've ever seen working with the players around him, and on his own game as well.

"He certainly wasn't resting while he wasn't playing on-field. He was doing more and more work in the gym, he was doing more off-legs work and he was doing just as much as any captain I've been involved with in my time in footy with players around him."

As speculation continues about his playing future, Nick Riewoldt says his focus is helping St Kilda return to the finals for the first time since 2011.

Former coaches Mick Malthouse and Grant Thomas are among those who have weighed into the ongoing debate about whether it is time for Riewoldt to retire.

"The narrative externally has been going on for six or seven weeks now and it's becoming a little bit boring," Riewoldt said.

"But our season is so precariously placed, that's where my focus is.

"I want to play finals again this year.

"Those discussions will evolve ... all the noise that happens on the outside is sort of irrelevant to the decision anyway."

St Kilda concedes Nick Riewoldt could have been rested earlier in the season, with the champion Saint to miss this week's game against the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium due to a knee injury.

St Kilda coach Alan Richardson said Riewoldt could have missed the win against Greater Western Sydney earlier this month, having carried soreness into the clash.

"He probably wasn't at his best that game," Richardson said.

"In hindsight, we possibly could have rested him then.

"He was keen to play (and) we were keen for him to play. This one's been taken out of his hands and our hands. He's just a bit too sore."

St Kilda has been boosted by the news that forward Nick Riewoldt's right knee injury is not as bad as first thought, with scans confirming no structural damage.

"Thumbs up! Scans revealed no structural damage," Riewoldt posted on Instagram.

"No timeframe for return but prognosis good."

Nick Riewoldt is taken from the ground on a stretcher in the dying minutes of St Kilda's clash with Melbourne after injuring his knee when changing direction in an innocuous-looking incident at the Lockett end of Etihad Stadium.

The 34-year-old said he feared the worst initially, but testing from club doctors in the rooms had all but cleared him of what could have been a career-ending injury.

"I heard a big pop and there was pain and I reacted to it," Riewoldt told Fox Footy.

"I thought that (ACL) was what I'd done.

"The docs are pretty happy the testing that they've done (shows) that it's not an ACL, but there's clearly something in there.

"It's stiff and sore now … I gave it a pretty good wrench.

"It looks like I've dodged a bullet".

Jarryn Geary will be the St Kilda's new captain for 2017.

Geary takes over the role from Nick Riewoldt, who was skipper for 220 games. That tally ranks Riewoldt third on the all-time list for most VFL/AFL games captained, behind Carlton's Stephen Kernahan (226) and Essendon's Dick Reynolds (224).

Riewoldt, Leigh Montagna, Sean Dempster and Sam Gilbert took themselves out of contention for the leadership group, and thus the captaincy. Those players, known as the 'four elders', make up the Saints' over-30 contingent.

"Before that vote, Montagna, Riewoldt, Gilbert and Dempster got up and said 'Don't vote for us, we're out. Time for you blokes to drive it. We think you're ready'," Saints coach Alan Richardson said.

Midfielder Seb Ross, Dylan Roberton and Josh Bruce are St Kilda's newest official leaders. They join Geary, Jack Steven, David Armitage, Jack Newnes and Maverick Weller.

"If we had six players who got lots of votes and then there was a gap, we'd have six (in the leadership group). As it turned out, we had eight, because those guys were voted in really strongly," Richardson said.

Nick Riewoldt officially steps down as Saints captain.

"In the interest of the footy club it's the right time for me to step aside to give a new player the opportunity to lead," Riewoldt said.

Jack Steven has won St Kilda's best and fairest for the second consecutive year and the third time in his career.

The midfielder spent most of the count in front after a stellar season and notched up 172 votes, and finished in front of defender Jarryn Geary (157) and skipper Nick Riewoldt (153).

Blake Acres says the guidance of St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt has helped him play consistent football in the past month.

The 20-year-old sat down with the Saints' champion about four weeks ago to watch vision together and tap into his experience.

Acres also made sure he watched vision of Riewoldt to get a sense of the veteran's tireless running and where he positions himself during games.

"It's been a lot easier working with him and being able to watch what he does helps me a lot too," Acres said.

"He [Riewoldt] just tells me to keep taking the game on. Everyone does on the team [as] everyone works together, which is good."

Nick Riewoldt has all but confirmed this season will be his last as St Kilda captain.

"It is probably time for someone else to step up and take the reins," Riewoldt told SEN radio.

"I've always said right the way through that (the decision will be based on) whatever is in the best interests of the club.

"We'll have that conversation in the off-season. But I'd certainly hope that between now and the start of next year that someone really elevates themselves."

Having spent most of his career as a forward, Nick Riewoldt says he lost five kilograms during the pre-season as part of his shift into the Saints' midfield in 2016.

"It's a new challenge. When you've played so long in the one position, maybe you can get a little bit stale," Riewoldt said.

"The challenge to learn something new and learn a new craft and change your body type to play a different position was all really exciting."

Nick Riewoldt received a pat on the shoulder from a Western Bulldogs supporter sitting in the front row as the ball rolled out of bounds in the last term, which prompted the Saints' skipper to turn around.

Riewoldt then directed a few words to the fan he thought was responsible for the pat in the forward pocket, but singled out the wrong person.

"I just didn't expect to get touched. It caught me by surprise," Riewoldt told Channel Seven.

"I don't think there was anything malicious or necessarily wrong with what occurred (but) I just don't think we want it to become common that players and fans are touching each other."

Nick Riewoldt will continue his illustrious career into a 17th season after signing a one-year contract extension with St Kilda to remain at the club in 2017.

"I'm really excited about the future and the direction of the club," Riewoldt said.

"For me it was about making sure my body was right and my mind was right to continue, and then having the support of the club to do so.

"We're all pretty happy to keep moving forward, so I'm excited."

Nick Riewoldt says he would love to extend his storied career for another year.

"I'm really excited about the club's future and I'm really keen to play on," Riewoldt said.

"My body's feeling great. A few years ago, I thought I was in a fair bit of trouble straining my knee every week.

"(I'm) just loving the direction of the club. I feel invigorated by the young players."

St Kilda coach Alan Richardson says his skipper Nick Riewoldt will almost certainly play on if he continues his excellent form.

The 33-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season and has battled a degenerative left knee in the last stage of his career.

"He's been in good form all year. He looked so dangerous early in the game that we just wanted to keep him (forward), but he gets behind the ball for us if need be," Richardson said.

"If the season stopped right now, we would want Nick to keep playing. (He'll play) as long as he still has the passion and the desire to play the game, and to lead strongly.

"I'd be surprised if we're not wanting him to play on."

Nick Riewoldt will play in his 300th game this week against the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium.

Riewoldt's milestone game will coincide with the second annual Maddie's Match to fundraise for Maddie Riewoldt's Vision, the charity set up to honour Riewoldt's late sister, who died in February last year.

"To be able to pay tribute to her and honour her legacy and raise some money for bone marrow failure syndrome - it's a great thing to be able to do while we celebrate my 300th," Riewoldt said.

"There's not a day that goes by where I don't think about Maddie and how great it would be if she was here and able to do this herself."

St Kilda coach Alan Richardson says an unconventional pre-season has helped Nick Riewoldt lose five kilograms and improve his running capacity even further.

"[Riewoldt's] running is incredibly strong at the minute. He had a different preparation," Richardson said.

"After the challenging year he had last year we gave him some time away.

"That's exciting for him whether he plays forward or in the midfield. The plan is for him to do a bit of both."

Nick Riewoldt, who holds St Kilda's club record for games as captain, says he still has the passion to captain the Saints as he prepares for a record 11th season in charge.

"I had a good post-season break to refresh and spent a lot of time thinking about whether I was still the right person for the role," Riewoldt said.

"I also spoke to 'Richo' (coach Alan Richardson) about what was best for the team.

"In the end, I knew I still had the passion and my teammates wanted me there, so I couldn't be happier or more excited."

Nick Riewoldt is on holiday in the US, in his wife Catherine's home state of Texas, and won't return to Australia until after Christmas.

Riewoldt's teammate Leigh Montagna said the extended break from the demands of the AFL environment had helped Riewoldt recover from the toll taken by a trying year.

"He's getting there. I think it's been great for him to spend a few months over in Texas away from Australia and enjoying the peace and quiet of the ranch and doing a bit of hunting, being an American,” Montagna said.

"He is loving that and it’s good for him and good for his family, so hopefully when he comes back he’ll be mentally refreshed and in good nick."

The first time St Kilda's Paddy McCartin stepped on to the field as an AFL player, he doubted he was ready. The same thing happened the second time, as he wondered if he could keep up, if he could contest and if he belonged.

But by the time he started his fourth game, his view of himself and what he could produce had changed.

McCartin made his debut in round three, as a very late call-up to replace captain Nick Riewoldt. It was a slippery Friday night, the Saints were smashed, and the club's No. 1 draft pick from 2014 had a quiet outing.

The next week he flew to New Zealand as the team prepared to play Carlton on Anzac Day. He managed only a handful of disposals, was dropped a few days later and spent three months in the VFL. But by the time he returned to the senior team, in round 16 against Richmond, his mindset was different.

"I felt like I had earned it a bit more. When you get put in a situation like I had for my first game, there was a bit of uncertainty about whether I could do it or not," McCartin said.

"I'm sure that would go through the mind of every other player who makes his debut. You go on to the ground and you're walking into the unknown. The second time around I'd had a bit of a taste of it, I'd had a good block of form in the VFL, and I knew I was ready to go."

Nick Riewoldt would have retired without hesitation had doctors told him to after his sickening concussion in round seven this year.

The 32-year-old was taken to hospital after the brutal front-on collision with Adelaide's Brodie Smith that left him unconscious during the first quarter.

The game was held up for six minutes as Riewoldt was stabilised by medical staff and taken from the field.

It was a graphic incident that led to game greats Leigh Matthews and Jonathan Brown calling for Riewoldt to seriously consider his future after five head knocks in recent seasons.

"If I'd been told I couldn't keep playing – and 'Goose' [former St Kilda and Brisbane Lions defender Matt Maguire] has just gone through it, when it's presented like that – it's pretty hard to argue," Riewoldt said.

"I think it's good that when it gets to that stage, it's really taken out of the players' hands."

St Kilda and Richmond will honour Nick Riewoldt's late sister in the inaugural 'Maddie's Match' when the two sides meet in round 16 at Etihad Stadium.

"Maddie loved sport so it's fitting that we're able to use this game, with her two favourite teams, to promote what she loved most - family and footy," Nick Riewoldt said.

"Watching the Saints and Tigers play is a fixture that brings our family together and we're proud to be able to honour Maddie and use this platform to raise awareness of Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes.

"We have received an enormous amount of support as a family from the entire football community, which we?re so grateful for and know Maddie would have loved. We hope this excitement continues for Maddie's Match, and that Jack (Riewoldt) and I run out to a packed stadium on July 19th."

St Kilda coach Alan Richardson will not encourage captain Nick Riewoldt to change his courageous ways as the skipper prepares to return from another bout of concussion.

"I think that's pretty hard to change the way someone plays … he goes back with the flight of the ball with real commitment," Richardson said.

"I'm never going to try and curb the way he plays. That's been ingrained for a long time now.

"He's an aggressive player and he plays hard."

Nick Riewoldt has been cleared of any structural damage to his head, but will spend the night in hospital after a sickening head clash during the Saints' 46-point loss to Adelaide.

Riewoldt was knocked unconscious after clashing heads with Crow Brodie Smith in the first quarter and was taken from the field on a stretcher.

"They're looking at him from a concussion point of view, just for observation purposes," Saints coach Alan Richardson said.

"He's up, cracking jokes with a couple of the staff, he's feeling OK but he does need to stay in for the night."

Tomas Bugg says he had no intention of taking out St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt in the final quarter of Sunday's game at Etihad Stadium.

Riewoldt had his eyes fixed on a contest before Bugg cannoned into the Saints' skipper, who was left in the hands of club medical staff for several minutes.

"From my end it was unintentional, I was just going for the ball," he said," Bugg said.

"I saw him last minute and just braced myself. I looked at the vision, and I don't even react to it because I didn't think there was anything wrong."

"I sent Nick a text after the game just making sure he was OK, and I didn't pay much attention to what was being said in the media.

"He hasn't got back to me, but I just wanted to send my regards and make sure he was OK.

"I'm glad the Match Review Panel saw that it was unintentional, and at the end of the day I thought I was pretty sweet."

Nick Riewoldt has the words "Fight like Maddie" emblazoned on his orange boots in a tribute to his younger sister during St Kilda's 2015 season opener against GWS.

Riewoldt worked tirelessly all day, notching up 17 disposals, including 10 marks and one goal.

The day did not end well for the skipper though, with Riewoldt leaving the field half-way through the final quarter with whiplash after being crashed into by Giant Tom Bugg.

St Kilda coach Alan Richardson has questioned the intention of Tomas Bugg after he cannoned into Nick Riewoldt in the fourth quarter of the Saints' nine-point loss to the Giants.

Riewoldt was cleared of concussion before he left the ground but was taken to hospital where he was subsequently cleared of whiplash.

"I've had a bit of a look ... the player will know what his intention was," Richardson said.

"If he intended to run into the back of someone who wasn't braced for the contact then it was poor.

"But if it was just a collision and they stumbled across each other, then that's footy, I suppose."

St Kilda grants personal leave to captain Nick Riewoldt after the tragic passing of his younger sister Madeleine.

Madeleine Riewoldt endured a five-year battle with a rare blood disorder called aplastic anaemia that left her with the inability to produce new blood cells and platelets.

She had hundreds of blood transfusions and two bone marrow transplants throughout her fight before she passed away with her family by her side at the age of 26.

"We are so proud of Madeleine for fighting as long and hard as she did," the Riewoldt family said in a statement released by the club.

"This spirit is a testament to her strength, she inspired us and so many and will continue to do so.

"We are grateful for and cherish the 26 years we shared as a family and she will remain in our hearts always."

Paddy McCartin says Nick Riewoldt will be a great mentor to him at St Kilda.

"He's been fantastic to try to emulate and if I can be half the player he is I'll be happy," McCartin said.

"I've had a few chats with Nick and I'll probably sit down with him a bit closer to the season once he gets out on the track a bit more because we'll probably be doing a pretty similar program."

McCartin has yet to set any specific goals for the 2015 season, preferring to focus on throwing himself into his first pre-season.

"I've been injury-free so far and have been able to have a pretty good run at it, so I'll just keep doing what I need to do and learn as much as I can and see where that takes me," he says.

"I'm not setting any goals for round one or whatever. I'll just keep training, have a crack and see how I'll go."

Nick Riewoldt signs a new two-year deal to remain at the Saints until the end of the 2016 season.

"He sets a tremendous example to our young players on how to prepare for AFL football. His commitment to leave a strong legacy, that he's carried on from the likes of Robert Harvey and Nathan Burke in the early 2000s, is a credit to him," St Kilda coach Alan Richardson said.

"His personal legacy is intact, but he has this deep desire to leave one for the football club and that is why he is so widely respected both externally and internally."

Nick Riewoldt says he is excited about the prospect of finalising a two-year contract extension with St Kilda to ensure he finishes his career a one-club player.

"It means I'm going to finish my career at the club, which was always going to be the way it went the last couple of years," Riewoldt said.

"The fact I've played all but one game in the last two years I think shows my body is in pretty good condition and I look after myself pretty well."

Nick Riewoldt says he is thrilled to be representing Australia again in the International Rules series against Ireland for the first time since 2004.

"It's been 10 years so I'm really excited," Riewoldt told AFL.com.au this week.

"The attraction [to play] is the quality of all the other guys who are playing and coaching, everyone involved, it's a really high quality outfit and it's a privilege to be a part of one of the better teams that have been assembled."

Nick Riewoldt has further enhanced his reputation as one of the game's greats by claiming his sixth St Kilda best and fairest award.

Riewoldt polled 137 votes to win the Trevor Barker Award ahead of retiring midfielder Lenny Hayes, who came in second with 126.

Defender Sean Dempster placed third with 101.

"It's a huge honour," Riewoldt said.

"I feel a little guilty spoiling the party with Lenny tonight but it's a huge honour and it's a highly respected award named after a highly respected person in the club's history.

"It's a privilege to be able to win that award."

Renewed confidence in the state of his troublesome knee has St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt wanting to play on beyond 2015.

"I've played 43 out of 44 games in the last two years and the one I missed was rested," Nick Riewoldt.

"I feel good – I feel like I can go for another two or three."

Riewoldt says playing every game this season has given him confidence in his current routine.

This year, he didn't make any dramatic changes to his week-to-week recovery but made sure he was in the water every night, visited a chiropractor three times a week and had lots of physiotherapy.

"I think you just learn and with experience comes trial and error and we've worked out a pretty good routine that held up really well this year," Riewoldt said.

"To be able to play every game was certainly something in the pre-season I didn't think I'd be able to achieve."

Nick Riewoldt has admitted he is frustrated by the Saints' struggles at the bottom of the ladder, but chasing a premiership at a new club in 2015 is not on his radar.

"Obviously we all play footy for premierships and I have played in a team that was really, really close and we're clearly a way off at the moment," Riewoldt said.

"But the only reason you would leave is if you had that guarantee and it's just too hard to find in footy.

"What I would lose out on and the heartache it would cause me to leave St Kilda - a club that I love and have given my everything for - it's really not on my radar."

Carlton and Marc Murphy face a nervous wait following a collision between the Blues skipper and Saint Nick Riewoldt that is likely to come under scrutiny by the Match Review Panel.

"'Murph' would be the last bloke ever to want to infringe," Carlton coach Mick Malthouse said.

"I'm not going to prejudge it or not judge it right now because I really haven't seen enough of it to say exactly what took place."

Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna says Tom Lynch will follow in the path of St Kilda's Nick Riewoldt in becoming the competition's premier centre half-forward.

"You look at one of the hardest working centre half-forwards in the competition in Nick Riewoldt - he's (Lynch) down that path," McKenna said about Lynch who had 21 disposals and 8 marks against North Melbourne.

"When he gets fit and fills out still, I pity the defender that has to mark him because he's in for a torrid time."

Nick Riewoldt reveals he was approached by Collingwood president Eddie McGuire regarding a potential move to the Magpies.

"I didn't really know what was coming but he sort of threw it to me that there might be the potential to get to Collingwood," Riewoldt told Channel Nine's Footy Classified.

"We had some discussions around that and what that would look like. Certainly there was never a formal offer tabled to me or my management."

After coaching his first game as head of St Kilda, Alan Richardson says he is in awe of his captain Nick Riewoldt.

"He's incredible. He just outworks the bloke he's playing on; he gives our defence something to kick to when it is he needs to push up the ground; if it is we need to score, he'll go deeper and maximise opportunity," Richardson said.

"Probably the most encouraging and impressive thing for me today was to leave the huddle at three-quarter time. There's an opportunity to win a game of footy that's pretty important (in) round one when you've worked for three or four months.

"To turn around and see Nick's grabbed the group and re-focusing them in terms of reinforcing my message (and) the message of the leadership group, I thought that was impressive.

"He's a fantastic leader and I'm blessed, really. It's like another assistant coach out on the ground in many ways."

Nick Riewoldt is expected to be named as St Kilda captain for a record ninth season when the Saints announce their leadership group in the coming days.

Nick Riewoldt chalks up record-equalling ninth year as Saints captain after being named as skipper of the club on Friday.

The Saints' leadership group will also comprise Leigh Montagna, David Armitage, Sean Dempster, Jarryn Geary and Lenny Hayes.

"I think we've felt a little bit disappointed the last couple of seasons about our ability to do that so we need to continue to display strong behaviours, especially around the ones we hold important," Riewoldt said.

"That's what the group was voted in on, to continue to do that and defend the Saints' trademark that we've come up with, and on-field performance comes into that, and to really drive and accelerate the growth from underneath and within the footy club.

"We've got a pretty clear mandate, we've spoken about that as a group and I think the rest of the players are aware of what we want to get out of being in this role."

Leigh Montagna says he is ready to captain the Saints if Nick Riewoldt steps down as skipper.

"With the Leading Teams model, we'll do it through the formal procedures and pick a leaderships group and from there, pick a captain," Montagna said.

"It would be something I'd seriously consider. We'll get to that when we do but look, Nick has been a tremendous captain and I'd continue to love playing under Nick."

Nick Riewoldt and Leigh Montagna will finish their careers with the Saints after agreeing to new deals with the club.

"I'm certainly happy that I have committed to the Saints and now it guarantees that I will play the rest of my career at St Kilda," Riewoldt said.

"I'm really excited about it and it is great to be able to do it with one of my great mates as well. It is an exciting time at the club and I am now committed to aiding the transition of some of the younger players into playing senior football."

"It means a lot that the club has shown real confidence in me and I feel that I have a lot of good footy left to play," Montagna added.

"St Kilda is on an exciting path and both Nick and I are looking forward to being a part of a really positive future."

Nick Riewoldt is scheduled to start pre-season on time despite a routine knee clean out at the end of the season.

Jack Steven takes out his first Trevor Barker Award as St Kilda's Best and Fairest player.

Steven was the clear winner after a standout season, polling 152 votes to finish well ahead of Saints' veterans Nick Riewoldt (115) and Leigh Montagna (113).

In a season which has earned him an All-Australian nomination, the 23-year-old averaged 26.9 disposals and was in the league's top 10 in clearances, handballs and disposals.

"I love to play for the Saints and I love all the boys I play with. I'm not much for standing up here, but I want to keep playing for the Saints," he said in his acceptance speech.

St Kilda players release a video, apologising to club members for Clint Jones' Mad Monday prank earlier this week when he set fire to a dwarf.

Captain Nick Riewoldt, vice-captain Lenny Hayes and young star Jack Steven spoke on the short video, which was shot outside the Saints' Seaford headquarters.

"On behalf of the players, I want to say sorry for the disappointment and embarrassment our end-of-season actions have caused all St Kilda people," Riewoldt said in the short video message.

Hayes added: "It's not the St Kilda you want, it's not the St Kilda we want.

"Our commitment is it's going to look different."

Then Steven finished with: "Stay with us - we going to make you proud to be a member of the Saints."

Adam Tomlinson earns the rising star nomination for round 17 after tallying 23 disposals, 9 marks and a goal against Essendon.

Tomlinson says he hopes to model his game after St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt.

"Nick Riewoldt's been the player I've looked up to over the past few years, so I've been trying to replicate what he does on the footy field," Tomlinson said.

"He's a great player who takes a lot of good grabs and he's just a running machine."

Nick Riewoldt is dropped from the side to face Fremantle in what St Kilda coach Scott Watters describes as a "scheduled break" for the Saints skipper.

"Just a little bit of soreness with the knee, more management than an injury I guess," Watters said.

"But a six day break the following week, travelling, getting on a flight, probably not a great recipe."

St Kilda pull Nick Riewoldt from a scheduled interview with Fox Footy's On The Couch program based on fears he would be questioned regarding teammate Stephen Milne's rape case.

"Apologies to those Saints fans after we pre-promoted Nick Riewoldt. He has been unable to attend," Gerard Healy, host of the program, said at the beginning of the show.

"He wasn't unable to attend; St Kilda withdrew his commission, fearful that he may say something on the sensitive Stephen Milne subject."

Despite being carefully managed due to a troublesome knee, St Kilda coach Scott Watters says Nick Riewoldt is in as good a condition as he was last year.

"He's flying. He's going very well, keeps knocking on the door every morning asking to play, and I just have to say no at the moment," Watters said.

"[The knee] is something he's had to manage for three or four years now and medically, we were able to really get on top of it last year.

"I think we saw some really good footy from Nick last year because of that so it's been a very similar process which started with his pre-season, which is a modified pre-season."

Nick Riewoldt will captain St Kilda for an eight successive season under a new leadership structure.

Riewoldt will be joined by Leigh Montagna, Nick Dal Santo, Ben McEvoy, James Gwilt, David Armitage, Sean Dempster and Jarryn Geary in the leadership group after Sam Fisher and Adam Schneider decided to step aside.

St Kilda receives a massive boost with its captain and key forward Nick Riewoldt signing a contract extension until at least the end of 2014.

"I am really pleased to get it all done and locked away," Riewoldt said.

"I was always signed up for 2013, but it's great to get the extra year. I'm really excited to have at least another two years with St Kilda and hopefully more.

"I can't afford to look too far ahead. I will attack the next two years and then hopefully re-assess after that. But that hunger is still there to play for as long as I possibly can."

St Kilda's Nick Riewoldt will take a $500,000 pay cut to play next season and is likely to be overtaken as the club's top-paid player.

Nick Riewoldt says he won't play again this season after revealing he wasn't close to making a return against Geelong last Friday despite media reports that he was training well.

"I tried to run, tried to do everything, but functionally once the tendon stops working there's nothing you can do and there's no anaesthetic in the world which can get you up," Riewoldt told the Herald Sun.

"I tried my best, but I wasn't even close."

St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt has been ruled out of Friday night's must-win clash against the Cats despite reportedly training well during the week.

"Nick won't be available this week. [He's had] a lot of improvement throughout the week but he's not quite right. Someone will get an opportunity to come in which is still exciting for us," Saints coach Scott Watters said.

Saint Nick Riewoldt did not fully train on Tuesday due to an injured knee but has not been ruled out of Friday's must-win clash against Geelong.

"I know he's pain free and he has got a scan this afternoon. We've got our fingers crossed and hopefully he is ready to play," teammate Nick Dal Santo said.

"Nick's attitude is always pretty positive. Obviously he's got a bit of a challenge this week to be able to play but at this stage he's really optimistic as we all are and the medical staff will assess him throughout the rest of the week."

St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt reveals the secret behind his good form this year is orthokine therapy, a process that obtains anti-inflammatory proteins from the patient's own blood and injects them into an arthritic joint.

"I'm sure there are a few players in the competition that are doing it. It's given me a bit of a lift in the second half of the year. Certainly there are some up and down weeks and six day breaks play a bit more of a part but I feel good," Riewoldt said.

Nick Riewoldt says the AFL umpiring department should publicly admit if they make umpiring mistakes.

"I understand the argument about free speech, but as a player you just know you can't comment on [umpiring calls]," he said.

"But something that might appease the players and supporters a little bit ... is [if] on a Monday or a Tuesday the umpiring department came out and said, 'This decision was wrong and this decision was wrong'."

Nick Riewoldt kicks his 500th career goal during a seven-goal haul in a comprehensive 95-point win over Gold Coast.

Gary Ablett, Chris Judd and Nick Riewoldt are reported to be the AFL's top paid players with Ablett earning in excess of $1 million.

St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt says that 2012 will most likely be his last year as skipper of the club and he hopes to push the Saints to remain a genuine premiership contender this season.

"Ideally, in 12 months' time, my name won't be at the top. It's about transition, it's all about the leaders serving and making themselves redundant because we've got those young guys coming through," he said.

"You can be in transition and still challenge. Football clubs are continually evolving and we're no different. That's the great challenge in our industry, to keep reinventing yourself, and we're on the right track to doing that."

Nick Riewoldt has been appointed St Kilda's captain again, leading an eight-man leadership group that will not include 2011 vice-captain Lenny Hayes.

Nick Riewoldt says he backs Scott Watters' decision to delay naming the 2012 club captain.

"I will support the process and whatever comes out of it I will support 100 per cent. If that is me as captain again then absolutely I cherish the job and that is something I do with a lot of pride," Riewoldt said.

"If not, if the club sees it is in their best interests to have someone else as captain then I will support that 100 per cent also."

Nick Riewoldt says he wants to remain captain of St Kilda - but he will step aside if it is in the best interests of the club.

"I'm really privileged to have captained the club for a long period of time. If the club sees fit for me to continue in that role, absolutely," Riewoldt said.

"It's a privileged position and one that I have a lot of respect for. As long as the club want me to keep doing it, I will and if not, that's fine, I won't change my leadership style."

Saints skipper Nick Riewoldt admits that scandals involving him and his club made him an angry man which in turn affected his performance on the field in 2011.

"Every year I've handled on-field and off-field and this year I don't think I handled it as well as I have in the past," he said.

"At times, I looked angry and my body language would have suggested that, but I think my body language was the result of my performance and because I put such a high expectation on my performance and I didn't perform to that level, that affected me, absolutely no doubt about that."

Nick Riewoldt speaks about his sister's fight with aplastic anaemia during 2011 that put his own life into perspective.

"At times you feel really stupid ... being worried about your form and this and that, and here she is in hospital. You feel like an a---hole for being worried about your issues when she has a far bigger fight," Riewoldt said.

"Football is important because you invest so much into it, but in the grand scheme of things it pales into insignificance."

Former St Kilda coach Ross Lyon never emphatically told the group he would coach in 2012, skipper Nick Riewoldt says.

"That's a misconception that's out there at the moment, at no stage did Ross say black and white that he was going to stay, everyone knew he was contracted [in 2012] and I think there were a lot of assumptions made, but at no stage did he say verbatim, 'I'll be here next year'," Riewoldt said.

St Kilda assistant coach Adam Kingsley denies reports that Saints captain Nick Riewoldt's knee will be under duress for the rest of his career.

"Nick's fine. Contrary to some reports, he has been doing all of the full training," Kingsley said.

"His knee, although it's not like when he was 21, it's still fine and gives him no pain, so he's still in pretty good shape."

The Herald Sun reports that Nick Riewoldt will be forced to play out his career carrying problems with both knees.

His left knee, in particular, has undergone multiple surgeries since 2008 and has fluid regularly drained from it.

St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt says he wasn't guilty of rough conduct despite accepting one-week ban following an unfortunate clash with Brad Symes that left the Adelaide midfielder with a fractured jaw.

"I suppose looking at the incident, I'm still a little bit confused. I'm not really too sure what my alternative was," Riewoldt told 3AW radio.

"I accepted the week in the end [because] the history of the tribunal, especially recently, has been one where it probably would have been silly for us to fight it and risk the extra weeks."

Former St Kilda coach Grant Thomas says Nick Riewoldt should be relieved of the Saints captaincy so he can focus on improving his personal form.

"He's a very determined person and also very sensitive - he takes things personally - so the performance of the whole team is something that would weigh heavily on him," Thomas said.

"I think he's been a great captain over the last few years, but I also agree that in future, in his own mind and heart of hearts, would enjoy the freedom of actually not having that responsibility next year and perhaps just playing footy."

Collingwood defender Nathan Brown says former Saint and now Magpies defence coach Max Hudghton played a big role in helping him shut down St Kilda superstar Nick Riewoldt during their recent match ups.

"He said that he had never played on him in a game, but he had spent 12 years playing with him in training and practice matches," Brown told the Herald Sun.

"He gave me confidence to back myself because, as a young player against a superstar, it can be frightening, especially on the Grand Final stage."

Nick Riewoldt displays his new set-shot kicking technique against Geelong in the 2011 NAB Cup.

The St Kilda skipper's new technique involves keeping his head down without looking at the ball such that his leg is almost touching his nose after a kick.

"I have been working pretty closely with (assistant coaches) Peter Berbakov and Adam Kingsley, and that's not just me, that's across the board," Riewoldt said.

"You look at all the great kickers and that's what they do. It worked out OK tonight and hopefully I can continue to go straight for the rest of the year."

St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt has been involved in a scuffle with two men outside a South Melbourne restaurant.

The two men are reported to have heckled Riewoldt regarding the controversy surrounding the circulation of nude photos of himself.

Nick Riewoldt is set to launch legal action against Channel 7 for broadcasting nude images of himself that were involuntarily released without consent by the former lover of a St Kilda teammate.

A teenage girl releases compomising photos of Nick Riewoldt, Nick Dal Santo and Zac Dawson in various states of undress on the internet.

The girl, who is reported to have fallen pregnant with twins to a Saint Kilda player before miscarrying, is defying court orders to cease uploading the pictures and plans to continue uploading several more from her collection.

"It's because I hate the AFL and I hate St Kilda," she said.

"Words can't describe how I feel. I have 19 more photos ... They will be all up by the end of this week. I just want revenge. I want them to know what it's like to have your reputation destroyed."

Saints captain Nick Riewoldt says he has never met the girl who posted a nude photo of him on social networking site Facebook.

"Given that I have had absolutely no association with this person at any point in my life, I am at a loss to understand what their motivation could possibly be," Riewoldt said.

The photo was taken against Riewoldt's wishes by teammate Sam Gilbert and Riewoldt says that he had, at the time, asked Gilbert to delete it.

"I asked Sam to delete the photo; it was my understanding that it was deleted," he said.

"To infer that I would stand there and pose for a photograph naked, knowing it was going to be kept is absolute garbage for people to think that."

St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt says he is disappointed in teammate Sam Gilbert but can still work with him in the wake of the lewd photo scandal.

"Sam and I are both professionals and we both give everything we've got to the St Kilda Football Club and that will continue to be the case. We will have a great working relationship," Riewoldt said.

St Kilda defender Sam Gilbert has apologised to his skipper and teammates caught up in the club's nude photo scandal.

"I would also like to take this opportunity to offer my public apologies to Nick Riewoldt, Nick Dal Santo, Zac Dawson and their families as well as the St Kilda Football Club for the distress this may have caused," Gilbert said in a statement.

"In this particular case there has been a significant breach of privacy without my knowledge or consent. I have through this process learnt a very real and harsh lesson of the risks involved by taking photos of this nature, irrespective of where the photos are kept."

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon was delighted with skipper Nick Riewoldt's comeback after 11 matches out with a torn hamstring.

"It puts everyone more at ease," Lyon said.

"It's great for football; I think we love our great players on the paddock and he just happens to be one who plays for St Kilda. Clearly he makes us a better team but I thought we kicked to him way too often early."

St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt hopes to return sooner than expected from a serious hamstring injury sustained in round three.

"It's come forward. Initially it could have been anything from the season down to about 16 weeks. It's looking more like 12 now. It would be round 15-ish," Riewoldt told radio station Triple M.

St Kilda Ross Lyon remains confident that Saints skipper Nick Riewoldt is on track to return to captain the side later in the year..

"He is running at the higher end; he's not yet 100 per cent but he is certainly doing a lot of quality work and it's been pleasantly surprising because I've stepped away from it and got really good reports off the surgeon," Lyon said.

"We're really optimistic that Nick will be back in the latter third of the season."

Saints skipper Nick Riewoldt says he is two weeks ahead of schedule in his recovery from a serious hamstring injury and is getting ready to resume running/jogging.

"That will start after four weeks as opposed to six," Riewoldt said on Triple M radio.

"I've got a bit to look forward to, which is good."

Injured St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt remains optimistic that he will be able to come back into the side in the second half of the season.

"[I've had] reassurance from the doctors and the surgeon that I'll be able to come back later in the year and have a good base before, potentially, finals", Riewoldt said.

"That's what it's all about for me at this stage of my career - playing finals and chasing that elusive premiership. I've still got an opportunity to do that this year providing the team is in [that] position."

Scans have revealed that St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt sustained a high-grade muscle tendon injury to his hamstring on Friday night.

"The tendon has not come off the bone, however it is a significant hamstring injury," a statement from the Saints read.

"The club will seek further opinion and conduct further investigations as to the best management options. At this stage the club is unsure as to how long Nick will be sidelined for."

St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt appears to have suffered a hamstring injury against Collingwood but Ross Lyon believes his injury is not as serious as many think.

"If I thought it was off the bone, you reckon I'd have half a smile on my face now?" Saints coach Ross Lyon said.

"He's a special player. All of the St Kilda people don't want to see him get hurt. We don't think it is that significant - we will let you know."

Nick Riewoldt has enjoyed an uninterrupted pre-season and will play in St Kilda's opening pre-season match.

"I haven't played an intra-club for four or five years, but I'll play next week and the week after barring anything unforseen", Riewoldt said at the club's community camp in Dromana.

"I think it's the best pre-season I've had in quite a few years. I'm really excited to get out there again and play with the guys."

Nick Riewoldt says Luke Ball initiated his move from St Kilda, and joined his coach in stating that the Saints have already moved on from his departure.

"With Ball, it was disappointing that he left. He was offered a contract and knocked it back and wanted to leave," Riewoldt told Triple M.

"I've spoken to Luke during the pre-season. I haven't spoken to him since yesterday when I said what I said. There is no simmering tension from my end. Luke is a player at another club now and I'm more focussed about us than I am about him."

St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt says he will never forget the pain and disappointment of the Saints' Grand Final loss to Geelong.

"I don't think it is something you can ever get over," Riewoldt said.

"If we can rectify it and get to the same position and do that little bit better it can help, and that is what we are aiming for.

"Obviously we are not satisfied and we want that ultimate goal and dream. But I don't think it is something I will ever forget."

St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt has avoided surgery on his chronic knee injury and will join full training with the Saints this pre-season.

"I saw him do a running session this morning and he's in really good shape," St Kilda football manager Greg Hutchison said yesterday.

"He follows his program and very rarely misses things. He, along with everyone else, has come back in really good shape. We are happy with how they presented themselves for the pre-season. They have come back in very good condition."

Ex-Saint Matt Maguire is looking forward to a new start with the Brisbane Lions after playing 99 games for St Kilda.

"I think about all the great times and playing with great players of the game like Harvs and modern day greats like my mate Nick Riewoldt. I played 99 games and had fun and feel I've been very lucky but I'm looking forward to going to Brisbane and making a name for myself there," Maguire said.

Nick Riewoldt became the most decorated St Kilda player in the club's history when he won his fifth Trevor Barker Award on Saturday night.

"It was a real strength of our team this year that it could have been anyone standing up here. It is very humbling and bordering on embarrassing to be standing up here and individualise," Riewoldt said after the win.

St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt speaks of losing the 2009 grand final to the Cats in a post-match function at Crown.

"The one saving grace is that we can all look each other in the eye. What we've been able to achieve this year, I'm just so proud of the playing group and the coaches," Riewoldt said.

"Geelong were in the same situation 12 months ago and they were good enough to come out and achieve the ultimate.

"Suck it in over the next few days, stick together and make sure that we come back next year and go one step further."

St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt says his injured knee pulled up well after the preliminary final and that he will be ready to go for the Grand Final.

Sports medicine specialist Dr Peter Larkins, however, was not too optimistic about the long term prospects of Riewoldt's knee.

"What we've seen consistently is that the knee does hamper him for periods of games and that's not going to change," Larkins said.

"There is wear on the joint surface and when he lands awkwardly on it, the bone jars and he gets pain in the lining of the knee.

"The danger is he is going to chip the bone or do some damage to the surface of the joint on one of those hard landings and not be able to shake it off in two or three minutes, like he did three or four times on Friday night."

St Kilda's Nick Riewoldt hurt his knee against North Melbourne and pulled up sore on Monday but says his knee is fine and that he will play this weekend.

"In consultation with the doctors, they just wanted to tick every box and make sure they ruled out anything, so I've been in for a scan this afternoon," Riewoldt said.

"My knee feels really good and I obviously don't know the result of the scan yet, but I'd be very, very surprised if it was anything at all. I'm walking fine, so I just wanted to put that to bed."

Brent Prismall says he wasn't too worried with he hit the post with a set shot with 35 seconds left against St Kilda that would have sealed victory for his side.

Nick Riewoldt later marked for a set shot after the siren that would miss, giving the Bombers a thrilling victory against the Saints who had been unbeaten until then.

"I missed the goal, I wasn't worried then I remember Riewoldt marking about one metre away from me and I thought: 'oh no'," Prismall said.

"Lucky enough he missed and the rest is history."

With seconds remaining and his side trailing by just three points, St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt marks within range but fails to convert after the siren.

The Saints lose the match to the Bombers by just two points, thereby ending their remarkable winning streak of 19 straight games and putting an end to any hopes of a rare perfect season for the club.

Injuries have grounded Nick Riewoldt, Leigh Montagna, Lenny Hayes, Brendon Goddard and Steven Baker for Saturday's clash with Hawthorn with the Saints taking a cautious approach in the lead up to the finals.

St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt says a large part of the Saints' success this year is due to ruckman Michael Gardiner.

"He's been fantastic, and I think it's full credit to Michael and the club, which has shown a lot of faith in him since he came across," he said.

"I didn't have in him, because the leadership group met with him before he came across and he promised certain things and he's delivered on every word up until now."

St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt says a breach of the players' 'trademark' saw onballer Luke Ball dropped from the seniors.

"Without getting into specifics, because that's between Luke and Ross, there are a few areas of his game he has to improve," Riweoldt told Foxtel's On the Couch.

"It's certainly not a discipline decision, and Luke is one of the most respected players at the club.

"He's been given a few areas to go away, address and work on, and he's in constant consultation with the coach.

"Hopefully we see him back soon."

Nick Riewoldt says Matt Maguire is in contention to play his long-awaited 100th match against the Western Bulldogs on Saturday night after suspensions to Justin Koschitzke and Zac Dawson.

"We'll have training and look at the way we want to structure the team and how the Bulldogs are going to structure up and make a decision from there, but he's a definite a chance for this week," Riewoldt said.

St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt has scoffed at suggestions that the unbeaten Saints will need to lose a game before the finals.

"I think it's rubbish to be honest. It's a gambler's fallacy really. Every week we go into the game wanting to win, just like every other team," Riewoldt said.

"If we go out and do happen to drop one, provided we play the game like we know we can - we've approached it well and prepared well and given 100 per cent effort - then we will take whatever the result gives us.

"We are not a results-focused team. We're about effort and everyone contributing."

Michael Gardiner has been proving all year that Saints made right decision by granting him second chance, captain Nick Riewoldt says.

"I think he's been good for us all year and he has gone through a pretty rough journey with his body and a few other things, but ever since he walked through the door at the club he has been really committed," Riewoldt said.

"People probably forget what a great player he was back in 2003 through to 2005 and he is starting to recapture some of that form now, which is terrific for us."

St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt says Michael Gardiner has been terrific all year, not just on Sunday against Geelong after the recruit from West Coast became the Saints' matchwinner with a goal in the last minute to seal the game.

"He hasn't taken his second chance just based on last night's game," Riewoldt said of Gardiner.

"I think he's been good for us all year and he has gone through a pretty rough journey with his body and a few other things but ever since he walked through the door at the club he has been really committed and people probably forget what a great player he was back in 2003 through to 2005 and he is starting to recapture some of that form now which is terrific for us."

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon admits star forward Nick Riewoldt might be too courageous for his own good.

Twice Riewoldt charged back with the flight of the ball in Sunday's win over Geelong at Etihad Stadium, once for a mark and resultant goal, but on the second occasion he just avoided being wiped out and was left with a jarred knee.

"That one was a bit straight on for mine and a bit reckless," Lyon said.

"We won't take issue with that, but we'll look to eradicate that."

After beating Geelong, St Kilda now knows it can match it with the best and, according to captain Nick Riewoldt, its own best is yet to come.

"We've been able to meet every challenge before that, so it was nice to come up against a really quality outfit and be competitive for the whole night," Riewoldt said.

"The game could have gone either way in the end and the result - while it is always nice to get the points - I don't think it would have really affected the lessons we took out of the game and the fact that we've still got a lot of improving to do in the last eight rounds of the season."

St Kilda is set to announce that captain Nick Riewoldt has signed a new four-year contract with the club.

St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt has signed a deal that will keep him at the club until 2013.

"The most significant thing was the friendships I've developed at the football club. My teammates are my best mates," he said.

"Kosi and I were drafted as 18 year olds together and spoke about playing our whole careers here together. I hope that is something we can both do.

"The year after that a lot of other young guys came in - Bally, Dal, Goose, X and Leigh. Hopefully we can all go through and play our entire careers together. That would be something pretty special."

Port Adelaide's Troy Chaplin can accept a reprimand for striking St Kilda's Nick Riewoldt.

Geelong champion Gary Ablett is the confirmed No. 1 target of the Gold Coast team.

Football director Graeme Downie made the bold claim after the club was awarded the 17th AFL licence yesterday, which came as a complete surprise to some media.

Ablett, Lance Franklin and Nick Riewoldt, who come out of contract at the end of 2010, are firmly in the Gold Coast's sights.

Under the AFL's list building concessions, the club can sign one uncontracted player from each of the 16 clubs.

The successful return of St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt from knee surgery on Friday has been tempered by another leg injury to Max Hudghton.

St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt is ready for round one, but defender Max Hudghton may be out for a month.

Nick Riewoldt's return from knee surgery was about the only solace St Kilda could take home from their pre-season trip to AAMI Stadium.

Video killed the Nick Riewoldt rumour after St Kilda released footage of its skipper Nick Riewoldt to assure supporters he is fit to play.

ST KILDA is planning a Round 1 dress rehearsal against Port Adelaide on Friday, but captain Nick Riewoldt is no certainty to play.

St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt is a chance to make his first pre-season appearance against Richmond in Shepparton on Friday night.

St Kilda could yet have valuable twin towers Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke back in action before Round 1.

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon has told Nick Riewoldt, Luke Ball and Lenny Hayes to rise to Ben Cousins playing standards.

St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt could be back in action for the latter stages of the NAB Cup after a better-than-expected recovery from surgery.

St Kilda captain Nick Riewodlt is set to miss the pre-season competition after having minor knee surgery.

St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt would welcome Ben Cousins to his club if the AFL clears the disgraced former West Coast skipper to play.

Leigh Montagna admits to delivering a personal insult to Bomber Andrew Lovett with words implying that Lovett was guilty of domestic violence.

Montagna, however, made light of his remarks which were heard during the game's broadcast saying that he and Lovett were close friends.

"Andy Lovett and I are actually good mates," Montagna said.

"We'd had a flat third quarter and Essendon were coming back and I thought a little bit of spark might just get the boys going again.

"So I just had a bit of a scuffle with Andy and I knew he wasn't going to hurt me cos we're mates. He might have just thrown a leg into me - given me a little corky or something like that - which got me a little bit agitated, especially coming from Andy, cos, as I said, we're mates."

Lovett is understood to not be looking to take the matter any further.

Later analysis of the video footage, however, reveal that it was Nick Riewoldt who verbalised the sledge at Lovett.

St Kilda lodge a formal complaint to the AFL on dangerous tactics used by the Swans to stop Nick Riewoldt.

The Swans have been accused of "tunnelling", a tactic whereby the marking player, in this case Riewoldt, has been bumped by his opponent on his lower boady while in mid-air.

"It is incredibly dangerous because it can result in a player falling on their head," St Kilda spokesman Matt Schmidt said.

Sydney coach Paul Roos denies that any occurrence of such tactics were deliberate and considers the accusations offensive.

"I would think that would be insulting. I'd never heard of the tactic, so it's pretty hard to use something you've never heard of," Roos said.

"I hope there isn't any insinuation it is deliberate because that is not the case. I am just trying to get in the best marking position," Swans defender Craig Bolton said of the allegations against him.

Roos later accuses St Kilda chief executive Archie Fraser of slurring Swans defender Bolton saying that it would have been better had Fraser gone through alternative channels to voice his concerns rather than directly through the media.

"I think we need to make it clear to Archie that's not the appropriate way to do things," Roos said.

"It's a bit of a slur on Craig, he's a captain of our footy club and it's a bit of a slur on us."

Fraser responds by saying that the complaint is not meant to be interpreted as an attack on the Swans.

"Our clubs continue to have a good relationship," Fraser said.

"None of this was ever intended as an attack on Sydney. As a club we raised the question to seek clarification of the rules and it's up to the AFL to interpret the rules for the competition."

The Saints name Nick Riewoldt as St Kilda captain for 2008 with Lenny Hayes acting as vice-captain.

"I'm honoured to captain St Kilda and we're all aiming to build on our pre-season momentum for a successful year," said Riewoldt.

"Captaincy is just a small part of the puzzle to achieve what we all want to achieve; it takes 40 guys contributing, and I suppose I'm just a figurehead for the club."

Saints coach Ross Lyon said the side needed a change from the co-captaincy model used in the past.

"We really need a clear distinction on who's leading the group, in particular, really responsible at the pointy end and under extreme pressure during matches," Lyon said.

Nick Riewoldt is revealed to be suffering knee tendinitis as well as inflammation at the back of his knee capsule.

The injury causes pain when the leg is fully extended leading to Riewoldt having to wear heavy strapping on his right knee to prevent him from fully straightening his leg.