Star Richmond spearhead Jack Riewoldt is refreshed and ready to get stuck into his eighth AFL pre-season, although he will have to ease his way in, following some minor surgery over the past couple of months.

Riewoldt, who won a fourth consecutive Michael Roach Medal in 2013, with 58 goals for the season, officially returns to training next Monday (November 25) following his off-season break.

“It’s been great to get away from the Club and away from the football environment, which, as players, we definitely need to do,” Riewoldt said.

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“I’ll be in rehab. for a little bit, because I’ve had a couple of bits of surgery . . . just a minor knee operation and a small hip operation as well.

“It’s just the sort of stuff that’s really clean-ups, which most players go through during their careers.”

Riewoldt expressed delight at the condition Richmond’s large group of young players presented themselves in when they returned to start pre-season training last Monday (November 11).

“They came back in great nick, and it’s a credit to those guys, wanting to improve from last season,” he said.

“Obviously, it (the 2013 season) finished in a disappointing way.

“It’s hurt a lot of guys and it’s something that we’ll use as a bit of a thing to spur us on during the pre-season and heading into next year.”