Carly Ziegler, the partner of Jack Riewoldt and close friend to Madeleine Riewoldt, has penned a tribute to Madeleine, who recently passed away from a Bone Marrow Failure Syndrome.

The world of football, for us, is an interesting sphere.

On one end of the spectrum, there’s the ongoing analysis, the constant speculation around players, teams and clubs, the dramatic idealism that our game is the be all and end all.  And at the other end is life - our normal day-to-day activities and the understanding that at the end of each day, what the players do is simply just sport, and they’re not saving lives. They contribute to them, sure, but what they do doesn't change or impact upon people every day. This is what I thought about AFL up until around 3 months ago. As some of you may have read, a beautiful soul by the name of Madeleine Riewoldt passed away recently.

Our family are heartbroken.

If anyone ever followed Madeleine on Twitter or had the privilege of meeting her, you would understand our description of her - fierce, witty and incredibly loyal. Sitting at a game with Madeleine was like having the whole tiger army cheer squad bundled up in one seat next to you - and that was just her support for her cousin, Jack. You can’t even begin to imagine how much she loved watching her brother Nick. Missing a Saints game to Madeleine was like asking her to give up a leg; there is nothing that could tear her away from her passion for them or her brother.  Her obsession with sport was equally given to her beloved Liverpool, Melbourne Victory and New York Yankees. Madeleine could reel off stat after stat on anything to do with her chosen teams and would back them until she was blue in the face. She was just a bloody sports mad genius - and one of the bravest people I’ve ever known. Madeleine’s journey ended after a five-year battle, two bone marrow transplants and seven months in hospital fighting a Bone Marrow Failure Syndrome called Aplastic Anemia. Courageous doesn't even begin to describe her spirit.

It’s interesting how one moment in time, one incident can change your whole outlook. In the weeks since Madeleine’s passing, we have experienced another side of the Richmond Football Club. The club has always been our family, but never before have they been such a rock for us. The continuous messages of support from players and partners, the constant checking-in from staff to see how we’re holding up. The hug that David Astbury gave me last week, just because I was on the verge of tears when he asked ‘how’re you guys going?’. The lasagnes and laughs that the Lade’s have provided, just to get us through each week. The Player Development Manager, Bronwyn, sending an olive tree to remember Madeleine by (because, as she described, no-one likes throwing out flowers). The chats that Jack and Chappy have had together, because if anyone can relate to losing someone too soon, it’s him and Lisa. Everyone’s lost someone, and it’s one of the hardest challenges that life will throw at you. You ask yourself ridiculous questions that cannot bring a loved one back. Why them? Would things be different if we’d just done XYZ?

It reminds me of something that Tommy Hafey mentioned once. In January 2014 Tommy came to visit a previous workplace of mine and chat about his life and career, a motivational talk to our employees. He ventured into the city a couple of Friday's later, looking lovely in a suit and tie. I'd forgotten to mention that we have casual dress on Friday's, and he joked around about not being able to wear his boardies and thongs.  His talk was a roaring success and everyone absolutely loved him, and I wasn't surprised. He spoke of desire, dedication, discipline and determination - his four D's to your ultimate success. He explained that his theory to motivation, team work and success applies to anything in life - your work, your footy, your family, your friends.

I had a quiet word with Tommy afterwards about the club - the year ahead, the challenges we were up against. I expected footy chat - this player is great, this one needs improvement, why isn’t he getting a game - the usual. I was surprised, however, by Tommy diverting the conversation to that of the culture at the club - the partners of the players, coaches and staff, the get togethers we had, the friendships at the club in general. Tommy proudly informed me that his most prized accomplishment, out of his whole stellar career, were not the accolades or awards won but the friendships he made along the way. This is the success of a footy club, he said. Having a tight knit group who are like a family of their own unites the team in so many ways.

Tommy passed away four months later, and I never got the chance to let him know that we initiated more family gatherings as a result of his words of encouragement. I wish I could thank him, because if it weren’t for the past year’s socialising and bonding, we might have missed out on drawing from so much strength from the club - its people. And I’ve realised our game is the be all and end all - it’s our family, and we wouldn't have it any other way.

Richmond and St Kilda will dedicate their upcoming Round 16 game to Madeleine Riewoldt.

‘Maddie’s Match’ is the first major fundraiser of ‘Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision’, which has been established to help adolescents and young adults suffering from Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes through research and providing support into prevention and treatments, with an aim to find a cure.

To donate to Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision visit www.mrv.org.au or SMS ‘Maddie’ to 0437 371 371.