Jack or Nick Riewoldt??

Jack or Nick Riewoldt?


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PJays

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One of these guys is one of the greatest players of the AFL era.

Captained 220 games. Won a Leigh Matthews Trophy. Had a ridiculous tank, outlasted any defender over 2.5 hours of footy. All time VFL/AFL leader in marks. Kicked over 700 goals. Equally comfortable directing traffic from up the ground, or playing out of the goalsquare. Set the standards for professionalism and training at his footy club for 15 years. Well regarded as a leader from a young age.

When the situation called for it, reinvented himself, leading the competition in marks and kicking 41 goals playing partly off the wing as a 33 year old.

The other guy is a very good goalkicker and a quality pack marker, who's been lucky enough to play in some premierships.

They're not really comparable.

Nick was a much more versatile player and a greater leader.

And Nick simply played at a higher level for longer. (As his AA's, Leigh Matthews Trophy and B&Fs attest, if the eye test is overly influenced by your black and yellow tinted glasses).

Yes, Jack is a premiership player- a title shared with Shane Biggs and Brent Renouf, but not with Nathan Buckley or Gary Ablett Sr.

If Jack finishes his career playing his best ever footy, earns another couple of All Australian guernseys and kicks another 200 goals, this would become an interesting discussion.

The only reason this thread exists is because comparing cousins is interesting. No one would ask "Nick Riewoldt or Tom Hawkins?" or "Nick Riewoldt or Josh Kennedy?". Those guys are around Jack Riewoldt's level. Nick is a level above.

Nick Riewoldt is in the top echelon. In the past 25 years, only Buddy and Carey would be ahead of him in key forward rankings.

Some might put say, Pavlich ahead of him too. Lloyd, Hall, Tredrea are others behind Nick, but well ahead of Jack.

Jack is on the next level down. Very good but not quite great. Think Kennedy, Hawkins, Roughead. On this 2nd level I also place others whose best was phenomenal but who ultimately underachieved for various reasons - Brown (injuries in his prime), Fevola (headcase), Gehrig (played many positions, not full time full forward until late in career).
 
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When the situation called for it, reinvented himself, leading the competition in marks and kicking 41 goals playing partly off the wing as a 33 year old.

The other guy is a very good goalkicker and a quality pack marker, who's been lucky enough to play in some premierships.

Lucky? He's kicked 664 goals in his career. From 2010 to 2019 he kicked at least 48 goals every single season, and 48 was the lowest. That's a consistent reliable output from a key forward sides would kill for. And he's been a contributor in all their premierships. Not sure how that is lucky.

And Nick simply played at a higher level for longer. (As his AA's, Leigh Matthews Trophy and B&Fs attest, if the eye test is overly influenced by your black and yellow tinted glasses).

Not that much longer though. As it stands he's played 53 more games. Jack won a Coleman Medal in 2010 and kicked 5 goals in a winning Grand final team in 2019. That's a full decade of absolutely high quality. Followed up with playing in another premiership in 2020.

Don't think there's enormous gulf between them that some seem to insist on.
 
Oct 20, 2007
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Nick, probably the better player, but at the end of the day, I would prefer to have Jack's CV.

As a side note, another poll idea. The best players in history that never won a Premiership, Brownlow, Coleman or Norm Smith Medal.
 

PJays

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And he's been a contributor in all their premierships. Not sure how that is lucky.

Jack is lucky cos he plays for Richmond. If he'd been drafted one pick earlier by Melbourne at pick 12 in 2006 instead of pick 13, how many premiership teams would he have played in?
 
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Jack is lucky cos he plays for Richmond. If he'd been drafted one pick earlier by Melbourne at pick 12 in 2006 instead of pick 13, how many premiership teams would he have played in?
Who knows? Melbourne can't hang on to their draftees, so he could have ended up anywhere.

You could ask that question about any player that's drafted. It's a pretty long bow to draw.

On SM-T580 using BigFooty.com mobile app
 

PJays

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Who knows? Melbourne can't hang on to their draftees, so he could have ended up anywhere.

You could ask that question about any player that's drafted. It's a pretty long bow to draw.

On SM-T580 using BigFooty.com mobile app

Premierships are won by 22 players. Or you could say, 30+ players who play throughout the season. And by the coaching staff who guide them through.

If Richmond had Tom Hawkins or Josh Kennedy instead, or Cameron or even Walker, you think they would've won any less flags?

Jack Riewoldt was in the right place at the right time, and was fortunate he got drafted by Richmond and not by somebody else.
 

PJays

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Jack Riewoldt played a role in three Richmond premierships. A huge achievement.

But that doesn't make him better than his cousin, who played a far bigger role in a team who went very close on multiple occasions.

Nick Riewoldt was St.Kilda's best player and captain for over a decade. If it weren't for an ill-timed crowd invasion, a bad bounce and a couple of errant kicks by his team, he might be a 3 time premiership player and 2 time premiership captain. (2004, 2010 and 2009).

And his individual accolades are so far ahead of Jack, there's no comparison:

LMT- 1 to 0.
AA- 5 to 3
AA squad - 7 to 4
B&F- 6 to 2
Marks, inside 50s, possessions- easily ahead
Goal average - comparable, despite Nick typically playing further up the ground

Finals records:

Nick- 17 games.
41 goals, 40 contested marks. 60 inside 50s. 118 contested possessions. 37 clangers.

Jack- 15 games.
30 goals, 18 contested marks. 41 inside 50s. 80 contested possessions. 38 clangers.

Nick way ahead on every measure. Except slightly worse on clangers (averaged per game).

I don't know if you've been house hunting recently. But comparing these two is like inspecting a newly built 5 bedroom, 3 bathroom mansion with a swimming pool, in Brighton. Then comparing to a nicely renovated 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom house with a jacuzzi, across the road.

Both houses in an awesome suburb. Anyone who buys in Brighton is doing well. No coach is complaining, if they've got either Riewoldt in their forward line.

But one house is worth loads more than the other.
 
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Oct 20, 2007
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Jack Riewoldt played a role in three Richmond premierships. A huge achievement.

But that doesn't make him better than his cousin, who played a far bigger role in a team who went very close on multiple occasions.

Nick Riewoldt was St.Kilda's best player and captain for over a decade. If it weren't for an ill-timed crowd invasion, a bad bounce and a couple of errant kicks by his team, he might be a 3 time premiership player and 2 time premiership captain. (2004, 2010 and 2009).

And his individual accolades are so far ahead of Jack, there's no comparison:

LMT- 1 to 0.
AA- 5 to 3
AA squad - 7 to 4
B&F- 6 to 2
Marks, inside 50s, possessions- easily ahead
Goal average - comparable, despite Nick typically playing further up the ground

Finals records:

Nick- 17 games.
41 goals, 40 contested marks. 60 inside 50s. 118 contested possessions. 37 clangers.

Jack- 15 games.
30 goals, 18 contested marks. 41 inside 50s. 80 contested possessions. 38 clangers.

Nick way ahead on every measure. Except slightly worse on clangers (averaged per game).

I don't know if you've been house hunting recently. But comparing these two is like inspecting a newly built 5 bedroom, 3 bathroom mansion with a swimming pool, in Brighton. Then comparing to a nicely renovated 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom house with a jacuzzi, across the road.

Both houses in an awesome suburb. Anyone who buys in Brighton is doing well. No coach is complaining, if they've got either Riewoldt in their forward line.

But one house is worth loads more than the other.

I totally enjoyed your analogy up until you stated that both houses were in an awesome suburb (Brighton). Jack. with the premierships/Colemas's etc is definitely the more modest house placed in the upper class suburb, but Nick with none of those is the best house in a lesser suburb like Mordialloc (I am no expert on Real Estate, but you get the picture).
 

PJays

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I totally enjoyed your analogy up until you stated that both houses were in an awesome suburb (Brighton). Jack. with the premierships/Colemas's etc is definitely the more modest house placed in the upper class suburb, but Nick with none of those is the best house in a lesser suburb like Mordialloc (I am no expert on Real Estate, but you get the picture).
Well from an individual player perspective Nick has way more accolades...AA's, LMT etc. Eg bedrooms, bathrooms etc.

So maybe Jack is a luxury townhouse, a small part of a big development in the best part of Brighton (eg part of a great dynasty team) :)
 

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Well from an individual player perspective Nick has way more accolades...AA's, LMT etc. Eg bedrooms, bathrooms etc.

So maybe Jack is a luxury townhouse, a small part of a big development in the best part of Brighton (eg part of a great dynasty team) :)

IDK 3 flags and coleman's carries a bit of weight

The manner in which he did was astonishing - only tall forward 1st flag in a side that came 13th the previous year.

It's not like nick was in a s**t team
 

PJays

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IDK 3 flags and coleman's carries a bit of weight

Nick has easily the better overall finals record. Goals, marks, possessions etc as I listed above.

Nick's best goalkicking year is the same as Jack's- Nick kicked 78 goals in 2009, Jack kicked 78 in 2010 and won the Coleman. Only difference was Fevola had moved to Brisbane in 2010 and was going off the rails, and Brown was struggling with injury.

(To be fair Nick's tally includes finals. But still, in 2009 H&A season only Fevola and Brown were ahead of Nick. Jack also won Colemans with 65 and 70 goals too. Nick kicked 60 or more on 4 occasions).

AA's, AA squads, B&F's, LMT. It's nowhere near close.
 
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