Jack Riewoldt's stunt takes the cake Ben Pollard
From: Herald Sun
August 18, 2011 4:11PMA BIRTHDAY cake may have improved Richmond spearhead Jack Riewoldt's season in Damien Hardwick's eyes.
During the week, Riewoldt rated his season no better than 65 out of 100. But after delivering his coach a cake on his 39th birthday at Punt Rd this afternoon, "Jumping Jack'' may have elevated his standing.
"It (his season) was probably a 60 before the birthday cake; 70 after,'' Hardwick said.
While Hardwick delivered the verdict in good humour, he was deadly serious about Riewoldt's impact in 2011.
"From a goals point of view, he has been down (56 goals; 78 in 2010) but his score assists have more than doubled since last year, so it depends on how you look at his season,'' he said.
"If we get 50 goals and 30-odd score assists out of Jack, I'd say that's a pretty good season.''
Hardwick said it wasn't all about scoring though, and at times Riewoldt hadn't been up to scratch defensively.
His troubles have been indicative of Richmond's up-and-down form; troubles that Hardwick said the Tigers just had to work through.
"The thing we've focused on is getting our defensive intensity back; it probably fell away over a four to five-week block,'' he said.
"The guys took it up a level last week (in the win over Sydney) and that eventually got us over the line.''
The coach hopes that intensity continues on Sunday against Melbourne, a team Hardwick hasn't beaten in his time in charge.
He said Jake Batchelor would be out for the season with shoulder injury, with VFL players Jeromey Webberley, Matt White and Jamie O'Reilly pushing for promotion.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/jack-riewoldts-stunt-takes-the-cake/story-e6frf9jf-1226117561110
