North Melbourne coach Brett Ratten hits back at Nick Riewoldt for ‘subpar’ standards comment

Brett Ratten has hit out at Nick Riewoldt for comments about his Saints tenure, claiming that the Saints legend wouldn’t know about the standards at the club because he was barely there.

Brett Ratten and Nick Riewoldt

Brett Ratten has hit back at St Kilda legend Nick Riewoldt over comments about the former coach’s time at the helm of the Saints, saying the only time he saw him at the club was for “free physio”.

Speaking on the Footy Talk Podcast earlier in the week, Riewoldt suggested standards had lifted at Moorabbin since Ross Lyon replaced Ratten.

“The standards in that joint for the past however-long have been subpar,” Riewoldt said.

“They have gone forward (in 2023) and now we are starting to see the lack of talent on the list.

Nick Riewoldt was critical of Brett Ratten’s time at St Kilda. Picture: AAP/ Scott Barbour

“I think this is where they thought they were going to be at the start of the season but they probably overachieved on the back of really strong effort and system.”

But the interim North Melbourne coach fired back on Wednesday, telling reporters the St Kilda great would’ve had no idea about the processes put in place during Ratten’s tenure there.

“Well to be honest Nick’s been to zero (sessions) really at the footy club and the only time he came was when he wanted free physio,” he said.

“That’s the only time he was at the club so I don’t know where he saw the standards piece.

“What can happen at footy clubs and in life is second hand information, whoever holds it, can be distributed the way they want so that’s the interesting part of that.

“That’s his opinion and I can’t change that.”

Ratten will coach against his former club for the first time since he was abruptly sacked by them last October on Sunday.

While joking he had no idea the Roos were facing the Saints until a couple of days ago, Ratten was intent on making sure the game wasn’t about him.

“The first time I heard we were playing the Saints was on AFL 360 with Robbo,” he laughed.

“I knew (we were playing St Kilda), but it is what it is. It’s sport, it’s the game, it’s the combative nature that we have.

“I think they (the players) need to do it for themselves, not do it for me.

“Let’s not do it for me, let’s do it for themselves and really let’s do it for our supporters and that’s really the way we finish this season.

Brett Ratten is hoping to grab the four points against his old club. Picture: Getty Images

“We play St Kilda, West Coast, then Melbourne and Clarko comes back, we’ve got to put a performance on that our supporters are happy with the way we go about it, win lose or draw.

“It’s just the way you go about footy and for us we want to get that win.”

Sunday’s game will be Ratten’s penultimate game in charge of the Roos this season after the club announced Alastair Clarkson would return to the coaches’ box for their round 21 clash with Melbourne.

While noting the winless period has been a challenge, Ratten said he has loved being in charge again, even with the knowledge that it was temporary.

“It’s been enjoyable, I knew through this period that Clarko was coming back at some stage,” he said.

“I didn’t get the chance last time to say goodbye and this is a good opportunity to just enjoy the last couple of weeks.

“With everything it has its challenges, as a coach you have your challenges, it’s just different challenges.

“I think the support I’ve had from Todd, Cam Matthews, Jen, Sonja, the footy club, has been outstanding and they’ve given me a lot of support to do the role and I’m very grateful for that.

“It has been fun even though we haven’t won.”

While ruling himself out of trying for the vacant Gold Coast job, Ratten was unsure whether he would look for a full-time role next season.

“We’ll just wait and see with all that, that’ll be the questions with how it all pans out,” he said.

“I’ll put my hand up to go for a holiday if they (Gold Coast) want to interview me.

“I’m not going up there.”

Originally published as North Melbourne coach Brett Ratten hits back at Nick Riewoldt for ‘subpar’ standards comment