Jack Riewoldt

Jack Riewoldt (born 31 October 1988) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).

He is a three-time premiership player, a three-time Coleman Medallist, a three-time All-Australian, an 12-time Richmond club leading goalkicker, a two-time Jack Dyer Medallist and a Tasmanian Football Hall of Famer.

He served as Richmond's vice captain during all three premiership seasons.

Riewoldt was born in Hobart, Tasmania to parents Chris and Lesley Riewoldt.

He was raised in the east Hobart suburb of Bellerive and played junior football for Clarence in Tasmania's SFL.

In 2005 Riewoldt made his senior debut with Clarence at age 16, then went on to play with the club through its finals series including a losing grand final where he kicked four goals.

The following year he again played in a senior grand final with Clarence, this time a member of the club's victorious side.

He later played and trained with the Tassie Mariners at TAC Cup level and represented his state at the 2006 AFL Under 18 Championships.

In three matches at the championships he kicked a total of eight goals and was named in his side's best players on two occasions.

In 2006 he played eight matches for the Tasmanian Devils in the VFL.

One particularly noteworthy game came against Bendigo, where he kicked four goals and took 13 marks.

He attended high school at St Virgil's and Rosny College in Hobart.

Prior to the draft, AFL Media's Matt Burgen labelled him a "goal-kicking forward who is extremely strong overhead."

He was however considered both short and slow for his position, with North Melbourne recruiting manager Neville Stibbard later remarking that he did not believe Riewoldt was "athletic or tall enough to play key position at either end (of the field)."

Richmond recruiting manager Francis Jackson later recalled Riewoldt's impressive football smarts and his ability to read the flight of the ball as key factors in his recruitment.

Riewoldt was drafted by with the club's first selection and the 13th selection overall in the 2006 AFL National Draft.

He made his AFL debut in round 9 of the 2007 season, in the Dreamtime at the 'G match against at the MCG.

He did not play the following week, next appearing in the senior side in round 14.

He kicked his first career goal as part of a three-goal performance against in round 16.

He would go on to play in five of the final six games of the season, finishing with seven goals from his eight senior matches that year.

He became the first player to kick 10 goals in a match since Jonathan Brown in 2007, and the first Richmond player since Matthew Richardson did so in 2004.

In round 21 Riewoldt was named best-on-ground for his 17 disposal, 11 mark and seven goal performance against St Kilda at Docklands Stadium.

In 2008 Riewoldt established himself as a regular member of Richmond's senior team.

He played his first match of the season in round 4 and missed just one more match that season, finishing with 18 matches played.

His round 15 bag of five goals against was a then career-best.

He kicked a total of 18 goals, good for fifth best at the club that season.

Riewoldt opened a season in Richmond's best-22 for the first time in season 2009, playing against 's in the clubs' round 1 match-up.

In the first seven rounds of the season he booted seven goals, before missing the club's rounds 8 and 9 matches.

He returned with two goals against in round 10, before adding three more in round 11 against the.

Over the nine games following his absence he would score 20 goals, besting his season total from the year before.

Included in this run was a six-goal performance in Richmond's round 17 victory over Essendon.

Riewoldt was lauded by The Age's Jake Niall that week for his "footy smarts" and marking ability.

He did not miss another game that season, finishing with 20 matches played and a team-second 32 goals.

He also placed eighth in the club's best and fairest count.

2010 was a breakout year for Riewoldt.

He started the season strongly, kicking 15 goals in his first seven matches.

In the next eight matches between rounds 8 and 15, Riewoldt kicked a league-best 43 goals.

It was the highest total over that many games since Matthew Lloyd nine years earlier.

He kicked a career best 10 goals in round 12 in a victory over.

The haul included five first-quarter goals, with four coming within the first 11 minutes of play.