AFL 2021: Tigers star Jack Riewoldt can’t wait to get season started against Blues on Thursday night

When Jack Riewoldt says there’s something special about the lead-up to his 15th season, then you know Richmond are in the mood for a fourth premiership in five years.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick says his team can still improve this year. Picture: Jason Edwards

It’s hard not to enjoy winning premierships but Richmond spearhead Jack Riewoldt says there’s been something special about the lead-up to his 15th season.

The 30-year-old lines up for his 284th game in the season opener against Carlton on Thursday night and reveals he‘s found a new appreciation for the game over the summer.

A lot of that has to do with the bizarre circumstances surrounding the Tigers third premiership in four years where they lived in a Queensland hub for most of the season.

Watch the 2021 Toyota AFL Premiership Season. Every match of every round Live on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

Jack Riewoldt is confident of spearheading the Tigers to another premiership.

“It has been really rejuvenating coming back and training at the club,” Riewoldt said.

“A lot of guys look at the pre-season as a drag, but I have really enjoyed this year and sort of rediscovered a different love for footy.

“I just can‘t wait for the games to start and to get into the grind of the routine.”

Riewoldt, who will again be a part of Fox Footy‘s season coverage, says there is no motivation issues for the Tigers despite history suggesting a drop-off will come.

“The hunger is just so prevalent at the moment, the guys are in great condition and there is an excitement about the journey,” he said.

“People put titles on the years, and that‘s for other people to do, but for us it’s just the thrill of the ride.

“Some people might think business as usual is mundane, but ours is a unique job and there are so many different things that get you excited about it.

“As an older player, you love seeing younger players come back better, it‘s all well and good to train well when all eyes are watching you but when they’re not, that is when the hard yards are done.

“You can tell with the body types, we have seen some real improvements with some of our younger players. (Riley) Collier-Dawkins is one, he‘s lost a substantial amount of weight and is a really exciting prospect for us.”

Jack Riewoldt is again part of the Fox Footy AFL coverage.

Riewoldt dismisses the notion that the 2020 premiership win came with an asterisk because of the COVID pandemic changes to the season.

“You can say it has an asterisk and it may always have an asterisk, the shortened season, shortened games played in a different state than what it normally is,” he said.

“But the asterisk doesn‘t diminish the fact that we won it, the asterisk probably puts it on a bit of pedestal as we won away from home.

“There has probably been a knock on us, can we win away from the MCG? There isn‘t really any arguments about that anymore.”

Dusty’s dream: I want dad there for Tiges’ next flag

Richmond superstar Dustin Martin has opened up on his “dream” of having his father attend another Grand Final win at the MCG and has spoken of a renewed love for football which has him feeling “like a little kid again”.

Fresh off leading the Tigers to a third premiership in four years and winning a third Norm Smith Medal last season, Martin said he had found a “better balance” in life which was continuing to see his football career flourish.

In an exclusive interview with Fox Footy and Kayo to air on Wednesday night, Martin tells Nick Riewoldt how his commitment to football has never been stronger as he strives for more success.

The 29-year-old’s father Shane was deported to New Zealand in 2016, but Martin said he still held hope his dad could be in the stands to see him play live in a Grand Final before his career is over.

“It’s been a massive challenge, but it is what it is,” Martin said his dad being in exile.

Dustin Martin (right) sat down with Nick Riewoldt for a Fox Footy and Kayo exclusive before the start of the 2021 AFL season. Picture: Supplied

“I love my dad and he’s made me the man that I am today.

“I’ve got full belief that he’ll be back here to watch us win another flag.

“That’s my dream, to have the old man up there with the rest of my family and watch the Tiges win another flag.”

Notoriously media-shy, Martin revealed he had recently begun to watch more football and sat down to view the 2017, 2019 and 2020 Grand Finals for the first time late last year.

“I remember sitting out at a mate’s farm where I was staying and they had them on Fox Footy all saved,” Martin said.

“I thought, ‘Well, I’m going to chuck them on’.

“It just fills you with a great sense of pride and I’m looking forward to the journey again to give it another go.”

Martin, who is a Kayo ambassador, has also taken a keen interest in Richmond’s AFLW team and said he feels relaxed and refreshed turning up training and games again.

“To be honest, I feel like a little kid again, playing my first game of under 12s,” Martin said.

Martin would love for his dad, Shane, to see him win a Grand Final in person before his career is finished. Picture: Alex Coppel

“I’ve just noticed lately that I’m really excited and really loving footy.

“I love getting to training and I’m just really enjoying my footy.”

Martin said last year’s premiership in unfamiliar territory at the Gabba was “a very special one” and he was desperate for more flags before his career was over.

“I’ve just thought, ‘I’ve got a really good opportunity here, I don’t want to have any regrets when I get to the end of my career’,” he said.

“So, I’m just making sure I’m putting my best foot forward to get the most out of it.”

Watch Nick & Dusty One on One, 8.30pm AEDT on Fox Footy and Kayo – after AFL 360.

THE YOUNG TIGER DIMMA IS ‘DYING’ TO UNLEASH

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick says he has no question marks about the motivation levels of his playing group as the club strives for a remarkable fourth premiership in five years this season.

The Tigers enter Thursday’s season-opener against Carlton as hot premiership favourites to complete what would be a flag three-peat.

Hardwick said the hunger in the group to continue the reign of glory remained as strong as ever and that did not need to be driven by himself as coach.

Watch the 2021 Toyota AFL Premiership Season. Every match of every round Live on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

“I’m very fortunate with the leaders that we have – Trent (Cotchin), Dylan (Grimes), Jack (Riewoldt) – there’s not a lot of motivation I have to put on the players,” Hardwick said.

“They’re very driven, our guys.

“They come back incredibly hungry each year, they love playing the game, they love the process that we are about and the outcome of that is hopefully winning.

“But the fact of the matter is our guys are very driven every session.”

Dustin Martin and Damien Hardwick are hungry for even more success in 2021. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Key new recruits have bolstered the chasing pack of teams trying to topple the Tigers, but Hardwick said he felt there remained significant room for improvement within his largely unchanged group.

“There’s some parts of our game last year that we certainly were okay at, without being to the elite level,” he said.

“But the one thing we like to do is continue to work on our strengths, both individually and collectively as a side.

“So, we’ll continue to work on those as a side and get better. We’ve got some wonderful young talent coming through that are pushing our senior talent.

“So, a lot of that improvement will be internally from those players pushing up and trying to get games in our senior side.

“There’s guys like (Riley Collier-Dawkins). Jack Ross we’re dying to get into the side. There’s another young kid by the name of Will Martyn that we’re really excited about as well.

“So, these are the guys that are going to drive our improvement.”

Hardwick said midfielder Dion Prestia was “definitely playing” on Thursday night, having shaken off a recent hamstring injury.

Defender Bachar Houli (calf) is yet to rejoin full training but is not expected to be sidelined much beyond Round 1.

“He’s done 14 or 15 pre-seasons so we probably think he’ll be a chance for Round 2,” Hardwick said.

Richmond will unfurl both its 2019 and 2020 premiership flags at the MCG on Thursday night.