‘He reckons I’m dead to him now’: Tigers star reveals Hardwick’s hilarious reaction after long-sleeve debutBen Waterworth
Fox Sports
July 7th, 2023 Star Richmond veteran Jack Riewoldt has revealed why it took him so long to don a long-sleeve jumper in an AFL match – and the cheeky reaction from his former coach when the latter was informed via text.
In a rare sight for Tigers fans, Riewoldt wore a long-sleeve Richmond guernsey during his side’s thrilling 13-point win over Sydney at the MCG on Thursday night.
Long-sleeve jumpers weren’t common for Tigers players under Damien Hardwick’s successful reign.
But after the triple premiership coach’s shock mid-season departure in May, Riewoldt said he was quick to inquire about the possibility of wearing one.
“Well it was contraband when Dimma was coaching and as soon as he got the lemonade and sars – or he decided to leave – I put the order in to PUMA,” Riewoldt sad with a laugh on Fox Footy post-game.
“It’s come through. I’m looking forward to wearing the yellow one on the away trip.
“It was very funny. Dustin (Martin) and I sent him (Hardwick) a photo before the game – I think the big fella is over in Amsterdam at the moment dodging around the lights – and he laughed at us. He reckons I’m dead to him now I’ve worn the long sleeve – and funnily enough I just sent him back a photo of him wearing one.”
Riewoldt on Thursday night kicked his first goal since Round 13, taking his career tally to 779 and leapfrogging the legendary Kevin Bartlett to move into outright second on the Tigers’ all-time goalkicking table.
“It’s a bit of a weight off my shoulders to be honest,” Riewoldt said. “That’s what I was thinking, it was going to be Mark Taylor retiring on 334 with Don Bradman.
“It has been weighing on my mind a little bit, obviously the last couple of weeks I haven’t kicked a goal. As a key forward you still want to be in that aerial contest, which I felt like I did tonight, but also you want to hit the scoreboard. Just glad to get a goal but also at an important time of the game.”
Asked if he could catch second-ranked Matthew Richardson (800 goals), Riewoldt said: “You’d have to be a silly punter to back me, I reckon, or my teammates would have to try and find me left, right and centre.”
Richmond fought back from 26 points down to win the thriller against Sydney, keeping its faint finals hopes alive in the process and all but extinguishing the Swans’ September ambitions.
“It was a big game of footy for us,” Riewoldt said. “Taking my Richmond hat off and player hat off, these are the games that you need to win if you look at the way the ladder is positioned at the moment and the fight for seventh and eighth positions.
“For us to win, that is a credit to our guys after what was a poor performance last week, we were able to bounce back nicely.”
The Tigers kicked 7.10 to Sydney’s 3.3 after half-time as their increased intensity – both with and without the ball – led to territory dominance.
“Andrew (McQualter) has just spoken about Richmond behaviours since day dot when he took over from Dimma and we really wanted to win the contest,” Riewoldt said.
“We know that Sydney are an extremely skilful side – probably not the Sydney we’ve all grown to know over the last decade or so where they play tough, hard footy … they’ve still got that – and that was probably the thing that got us against the Lions and we were really trying to be aware of that. He had a focus to bring the pressure – and our pressure rating went through the roof.
“Walking up the tunnel and seeing the rain, as much as it doesn’t put a smile on a key forward’s face, it puts a smile on those midfielders … knowing they can play that in and under style footy we got them to the football club for.”
https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/richmond-tigers/afl-news-2023-jack-riewoldt-wears-long-sleeve-jumper-in-richmond-win-over-sydney-damien-hardwick/news-story/04588cf51be2aaedd9b1a897db6648a7
