St Kilda Coach Alan Richardson says the club will replace Nick Riewoldt as captain if it’s the best option for the club next season.
Riewoldt, the Saints’ longest serving skipper, flagged this week that the time is right for a changing of the guard, as long as it was in the clubs best interests at seasons end.
When quizzed by reporters ahead of Sunday’s game against Essendon, Richardson indicated that the time was right to pass the baton whilst Riewoldt was still at the club and able to assist with the leadership transition.
“Every year Nick has said the same. He’s come to me and said if it’s in the best interests of our team and our footy club to stand aside then he’s ready to do that. He’s incredibly selfless like that,” Richardson said at a press conference on Friday.
“We all know that he embraces the role and does a terrific job for us; in fact he’s as impressive a leader as I’ve ever worked with.
“The reality is, it’s probably getting to that time. We need someone else to come through and it would be a great position for that leader to have Nick at least for another year to be able to work with. So I think something like that will happen.
“There’s every chance he’ll say I’m ready to go again, but if there’s something you think is better suited to take us forward then let’s head that way. But I think that he’d be disappointed if we hadn’t identified someone for 2017 to be our skipper.”
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With elder statesmen Leigh Montagna and Sean Dempster unsuitable replacement options given their age, the Saints possess an array of younger leaders who could step up in 2017.
Experienced campaigners Jarryn Geary, David Armitage and Jack Steven all loom as possible replacements given their age and standing within the playing group, while emerging options Jack Newnes, Mav Weller and Seb Ross have all shown promising leadership capabilities.
If the Saints go down the path of replacing the six-time Trevor Barker Award winner, Richardson said the club will select the best person for next season, rather than a leader who could grow into the role down the track.
“We’ll pick whoever we think is the best leader. We need that person to set a great example immediately, to be able to challenge strongly immediately. They’ll get a lot of training and practice,” Richardson said.
“If it is that we make the change, they’ll have a great mentor in Nick, Joey, Dempster, Fisher etc. We’ll pick who we think is ready for now.”
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