Star forward Jack Riewoldt has dubbed 2019 “the year of redemption” as Richmond seek vindication following last year’s preliminary final heartbreak.
Riewoldt spoke to SEN on Monday morning, saying the group has set themselves up “for another great crack”, with atonement on their minds.
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“Kane Lambert spoke about it at the best and fairest and it really rung true with me, about the year of redemption,” he said.
“We feel like we were the best side last year. Unfortunately, we performed poorly on a really big stage where there’s no tomorrow if you do lose and we were beaten by a very good side who were inches away from winning the whole thing.
“I think every side that thinks they’re a good chance of winning the premiership has (redemption) in the back of their mind when they don’t win it.”
As the round one season opener against Carlton fast approaches, Riewoldt said the group are relentless on reclaiming that premiership jubilation, for both themselves and the Tiger Army.
“When you do taste the glory at its peak and do win it… there’s so many great moments that come from that,” Riewoldt said.
“You see the elation in your fans, in your supporters.
“We’re representing 100,000 Richmond members as well and we know how much it means to them.”
Riewoldt championed Tiger recruit Tom Lynch as a “tantalising prospect”, as the highly-anticipated duo prepare for their unveiling as teammates.
“The first time I ever met him, I stood next to him... and he just towers over the top of me,” he said.
“He’s 200cm and 98 kilos, and he’s just a beast of a man.
“The dream prospect of playing next to him is one that I think about a lot.”
While he admitted the pair may not immediately reach synchronisation, Riewoldt is confident the combination of the two will be a “dangerous prospect going forward”.
“It’ll probably be a little bit clunky early on as most things are when you sort of chuck it in, it’s a recipe and you don’t know what we’re going to come up with but we’re just going ‘rightio, let’s have a crack at this and throw it all in the bowl’,” he said.
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“But from my point of view and from the Club’s point of view and Tom’s point of view, we feel we could certainly evolve as a forward line with the two of us in there.
“He’s been a captain at an AFL club and you don’t often get another captain of an AFL club to come to your club… he’s really well spoken and his knowledge of the game and the craft of playing forward is very good.”
