Richmond's Jack Riewoldt celebrates a goal during the AFL Round 12 match between the Richmond Tigers and the West Coast Eagles at the MCG, Melbourne.
The Riewoldt bloodline is one of success, power and immense ability in AFL ranks. However, while many look at the star of Saint Nick, another is creeping ever slowly as the new breed of superstar of the game.
To the Richmond faithful, Jack Riewoldt is a new sensation. Commonly referred to as “Jumping Jack Flash”, the talented Tiger is making is mark in the competition gradually, and soon will be up with the best forwards of the game.
The yellow and black army may already have him pencilled down as the best Tiger forward they have seen in the past 10 years in terms of ability one-on-one and in a contested situation, but the legend of “Richo” (Matthew Richardson) can never be eclipsed.
Leading goal kicker for the Tigers in thirteen seasons with a total of 800 goals, the total tiger kicked the second most goals in the history of the Richmond Football Club and is eleventh overall in the list of VFL/AFL goal kickers of all time.
Even finishing third in the 2008 Brownlow Medal showed how great the Devonport boy was. So will this new Tasmanian work of art become the next Mona Lisa and be worth a great value on the market. Time will tell but Riewoldt is doing everything possible to make a name for himself.
Jack is blooming at a perfect time and is only at the ripe young age of 21. Leading the Coleman Medal with 75 goals at the beginning of Round 22, “Jumping Jack” is quicker than ever discarding opponents. He tore part the Eagles with a haul of 10 goals, kicked seven against St.Kilda in Round 21 and has bagged six goals in a match in 2010 on two occasions.
Overall his impact on the field has increased more than two fold after only kicking 32 goals in 2008 and has dominated up forward. His laziness seems to have fallen below the depths of the ocean waters, and the true talent of the No.13 selection of the 2006 AFL Draft is rising above the surface. Of the top ten picks drafted in 2006, Riewoldt while trailing Bryce Gibbs, Joel Selwood and Travis Boak, has performed better than every forward who was selected in the top 30 picks.
Scott Gumbleton has looked the part in 2010 when on song, but his body is as fragile as a box of glasses. Sixth pick Mitch Thorp, struggled to make a true impact in the Hawthorn line-up and was subsequently delisted. Big Crow James Sellar has given the revolving door a good touch, while Don Leroy Jetta hasn’t broken out games with the consistency and the precision he would like required.
You can put a tick next to the name of Jack Riewoldt and an extra snippet of information with the words “Coleman Medallist 2010”. Although he is only averaging two goals a match overall in his career, he is stepping up and well and truly is the main focal point in the Richmond side.
But Jack cannot be depended upon to get big victories on the field every week in his own stats book, but you can agree to the fact he’ll be at the Tigers for a long time, after signing on with Dustin Martin until at least the end of 2013. With a new contact estimated to be between $500,000 and $550,000 a season, Riewoldt looks set to be a one club player.
But the question remains – “How big will Jack really be?” While he won’t be the next Tony Lockett, he could definitely match it with the best and be even bigger than Cousin Nick himself.
His dreams have become a reality and the scrapbook is becoming bigger. The silverware cupboard will get a little entry this year, but a cup for the Tigers still seems at least five years away.
How big will he really be? Well that is for others think about, but the man himself ultimately will decide his own fate.
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