FOR SO long, Jack Riewoldt was the top dog in Richmond's forward line.
Now, he says, he's the second fiddle behind recruit Tom Lynch.
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The duo has played 10 games together this year, with Riewoldt having missed a large portion of the middle of the season with a PCL injury, but they have both hit their straps ahead of Saturday's qualifying final against Brisbane.
Lynch is set to comfortably take out Richmond's leading goalkicker award, with Riewoldt relinquishing his crown for the first time since Mitch Morton won in 2009.
"Honestly, it's been seamless. Granted, we would have loved to have played some more football together, and that's just part of the AFL, injuries and whatnot, but I feel like we've worked well," Riewoldt said.
"We've both been able to have impact in games, which is what you ask for all your forwards. For us, we're in a different position, because this football club hasn't had a second key forward for a long time, and it's really exciting.
"A lot of people look back to 2017 and see myself as the lone key forward, and see that as the Richmond way, but we've been able to evolve.
"Credit to Tom, he's fitted in seamlessly and provided that second – no, first – key role. Really, I'm the second key forward now and I've really enjoyed it."
Star recruit Lynch has kicked 54 goals this year after being on restricted training for just about all of the pre-season, recovering from knee surgery.
He is on the cusp of playing his first final, after eight seasons at Gold Coast.
"[I'm] really looking forward to it, obviously, excited to run out for my first final and can't wait," Lynch said.
"At the start of the year I just wanted to get back, that was the first focus and it's exciting sitting here waiting to go out to my first final.
"[Riewoldt] just said keep it the same, it's a final and things like that, but just keep it the same and simple. We played against [Brisbane] a week ago, which holds us in good stead."
Riewoldt is confident his teammate won't be overawed on the big stage, having played in front of nearly 77,000 people just a week ago.
"I'm really excited for him to experience finals for the first time. I remember what it was like in my first time six or seven years ago, what it's like to play in the big games, and I think he experienced this a little bit with some big games at the MCG," the vice-captain said.
"He's played over 150 games, a superstar of the competition and captain of a club, I think he's got a fair idea of what it's going to be like."
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick has indicated ruckmen Toby Nankervis and Ivan Soldo may play alongside each other for the first time since 2017.
"I've played forward with 'Nank' before, and he's underrated as a forward," Riewoldt said.
"If he does play, he might play a little bit forward, but he just provides a contest. 'Nank' is probably built for finals football, we know he's a contested beast and if he does come in, it's exciting for us.
"If those two, Soldo and Nankervis, do ruck together, they'll provide a really good duo because they provide different strengths and [will] be a good team."
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Riewoldt said the club was rallying around lively forward Jack Higgins, who was this week ruled out until at least late 2020 after news he would require a second operation on a brain bleed, having been born with an abnormality in his blood vessels.
"It's a really trying time for him and his family, he's such a great young man, such a great character of this football club and this industry and this game, that he's been sorely missed," Riewoldt said.
"We have missed him around the changerooms, we miss his enthusiasm, but at the moment we're rallying around him, as is the whole football community."
View this post on InstagramAll our thoughts are with @jackohiggins, who will undergo further brain surgery this month
