St Kilda Captain Nick Riewoldt says it was important for him to shed a few kilograms during this pre-season to allow him to get up and down the ground quicker and with greater coverage this season.

The six-time Trevor Barker Award winner explained that altering his body shape was important in his twilight, not only to improve his engine, but also to reduce the wear and tear on his ageing body.

“It’s probably not the five kilos that’s been reported, but I guess when you pass 30 you’ve got to keep reinventing yourself and stay relevant in the game,” Riewoldt told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday.

“With my issues with my knees over the years, making sure I keep the weight off has been a pretty high priority. I’ve just shed a few to try and keep fast and light on my feet.

“I certainly didn’t want to come back heavier than I have been. I played my best footy through ’09 and ’10 at around 97, 98 kilos and in the low 90s now. It’s been pretty gradual.

“But I’m feeling really good with where that’s at. Hopefully spending more time in the midfield, so the need to stay light and run more will be key to that.”

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Ahead of his 15th season since being taken with selection No. 1 in the 2001 National Draft, and only weeks away from becoming just the fifth St Kilda player to reach the 300-game milestone, Riewoldt’s thirst to evolve has never been more evident than during this pre-season.

The champion centre-half forward has spent the summer months training with the midfield group under the tutelage of Adam Kingsley. With an eye to the future, developing Josh Bruce and Paddy McCartin inside 50, the skipper is set for time through the middle this season. A challenge the five-time All Australian has relished.

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“It’s a learning experience for me. Apart from my first couple of years where I played centre-half back, I’ve played the majority of my career up forward,” Riewoldt said.

“So it’s been a great learning experience spending most of the pre-season with the midfield group. That’s a  challenge learning the different intricacies of playing midfield and just trying to school myself up in the off-season.

“You see all the great teams have players that can play multiple positions, we’ve been no different going down that path.”

If everything goes to plan, Riewoldt will join Barry Breen, Nathan Burke, Stewart Loewe and Robert Harvey as 300-game Saints in Round 2 when St Kilda plays Western Bulldogs.