Robbo: How does Jack Riewoldt want his story to end?
Trent Cotchin will retire, but Jack Riewoldt is yet to make a decision on his future. And the call might be out of his hands, writes Mark Robinson.
In three games, Richmond will farewell one of its greatest captains in Trent Cotchin, but there isn’t the same sense of finality with Jack Riewoldt.
Cotchin, 33, appears to have strangled the towel dry in his endeavours to deliver for the Tigers and his imminent retirement announcement will be a celebration of tremendous achievement.
The three-time premiership skipper was at the forefront of change and introspection at the footy club, which underpinned the premiership dynasty, and he will be remembered with his name sitting a rung below Jack Dyer, Royce Hart, Kevin Bartlett and Dustin Martin as Richmond’s most iconic players.
A soldier’s mentality wearing the general’s hat, the history books will record well the deeds of T. Cotchin.
Riewoldt’s towel is still damp.
At 34 – he will be 35 in October – he will make the decision within the next 10 days or so about retiring or twisting the towel one more time.
It will be Riewoldt’s decision – to a point.
The club and their three-time premiership forward have been in constant discussion about how it ends, when it ends and why it should or shouldn’t end.
The question is: How does Riewoldt want it to end?
A little damp in the towel or bone dry?
It’s probably more unlikely than likely that he plays on, but what’s bugging Riewoldt is that sliver of possibility.
A selfless person, he will not play an 18th season if it does not serve a purpose for the footy club.
Make no mistake, he loves footy and he loves playing and deep down he knows he can still be a contributor, but does playing again help the footy club?
From afar, the easy and logical assessment to make is that he’s cooked, that he’s too old, too tired and he should retire.
Never mind that he’s carried an injury for 12 weeks, has played as the key focal point with Tom Lynch’s foot injury sidelining him all season, and that for large periods of games Riewoldt has battled against two defenders in the air because every third ball going inside 50 is going to Riewoldt, which the opposition knows too well.
As much as the lack of meaningful defence has hampered this Tigers season, as detailed in Wednesday’s Herald Sun, and their lack of speed through the middle, so has Richmond’s predictability going forward.
Riewoldt would like a shot at it being injury-free (if that’s possible at 35), playing as the second or third tall beside youngster Samson Ryan, with Lynch the lynch-pin.
The other concern is Lynch’s foot. What happens if Riewoldt retires and Lynch’s foot busts apart? Ryan isn’t ready to be No.1 and even though the Tigers are scouting for another tall forward, Riewoldt’s experience would be valuable.
Tigers great Mathew Richardson highlighted exactly that scenario on the Channel 7 telecast last Friday night.
Maybe the Tigers have earmarked Josh Gibcus – another who has missed all of the 2023 season – as a forward, but with Dylan Grimes nearing the end, Gibcus looms to be the defensive mainstay.
Riewoldt was noncommittal when badgered for an answer about his future on AFL360 this week.
Also, interim coach Andrew McQualter said this week that he, personally, is not in discussion with any player about 2024, so without an official senior coach in place, there’s uncertainty there.
If McQualter gets the job, it will mostly be Riewoldt’s decision. If someone else were to be appointed, the new coach could scupper any plans for another season.
The gut feel is he wants go on because he knows he can serve a purpose. Time will tell if the Tigers are in total agreement.
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