One of St Kilda’s most celebrated champions, Nick Riewoldt, has added another accolade to his distinguished 336-game AFL career tonight, being inducted into the Australian Football League Hall of Fame. 

Born in Hobart, Riewoldt was recruited from Broadbeach and Southport (Queensland) and joined the Saints with the Number 1 Pick in the 2000 AFL Draft.  

Soon after making his debut in Round 15 2001, ‘Rooey’ went on to cement himself as a future star of the competition, winning the AFL Rising Star Award and his first Trevor Barker Award in 2002. 

The Leigh Matthews Medal (AFLPA MVP) and a second Trevor Barker Award followed in 2004, which was also the first year the spearhead was named in the All-Australian team.  

Further All-Australian honours followed in 2006, 2008, 2009 (including being named All-Australian captain) and 2014, while another four Trevor Barker Awards were added in 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2014. 

Riewoldt holds the record for the longest serving St Kilda club captain (220 games), a position he first assumed in 2005 as part of the club’s rotating leadership policy, before later holding co-captaincy 2007 alongside Lenny Hayes and Luke Ball, and then sole skipper in 2008. 

The former No. 12 etched his name in history as one of game’s greatest forwards, finishing his career having taken the most marks in AFL / VFL history (2,922).  

In addition to his decorated playing career, Riewoldt made a considerable impact off the field as an ambassador for St Kilda Football Club and the game more broadly. He has also honoured the memory of his sister Maddie through Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision. 

Riewoldt becomes the 19th Saint to be inducted into the AFL’s Hall of Fame, joining Nicky Winmar, Nathan Burke, Lenny Hayes, Ralph Robertson, Trevor Barker, Tony Lockett, Barry Hall, Verdun Howell, Neil Roberts, Robert Harvey, Ross Smith, Carl Ditterich, Vic Cumberland, Wells Eike, Les Foote, Dave McNamara, Bill Mohr and Colin Watson. 

Nick Riewoldt career highlights:

  • Trevor Barker Award: 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2014 
  • All-Australian Team: 204, 2006, 2008, 2009 (captain), 2014 
  • Leigh Matthews Trophy (AFLPA MVP): 2004 
  • Longest serving captain in the club’s history – 220 games (2005, 2007-2016) 
  • St Kilda Leading Goalkicker 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014 
  • AFL Rising Star: 2002 
  • 149 Brownlow votes 
  • Pre-season premierships: 2004, 2008 
  • Most marks in AFL/VFL history (2,922) 
  • Represented Australia on four separate occasions 

 

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