Our job is to make yours easier

Saints No Longer Doing Things by Harves

17 Nov 2008

UPON arriving at St Kilda’s first pre-season training session on Monday morning, Saints captain Nick Riewoldt immediately noticed one significant change at the club.

For the first time in Riewoldt’s career and indeed for the first time in more than two decades, Robert Harvey was not pounding the pavement in preparation for another AFL season.

Instead he was on the other side of town in his new life as an assistant coach at Carlton.

Riewoldt said the place felt a bit different without the man who seemed to love pre-season as much as game day.

“It does feel a bit strange. I sit next to him in the team meetings usually and there was a vacant seat there this morning. Brendon Goddard was quick to jump in his empty chair,” Riewoldt said.

“It’s disappointing not to have him around. He finished top five in our best and fairest and was still contributing right to the very end but we wish him all the best at Carlton.”

Riewoldt said seeing Harvey’s career end without a premiership was a reminder that the club had to seize its chance when it comes along.

“It hit a nerve with a lot of the playing group that you don’t have an infinite amount of time in the game and you’ve got to make hay while the sun shines,” he said.

There were a number of new faces in St Kilda singlets at the first training session, including former Bulldog Farren Ray who was traded to the Saints in October, former Magpie Sam Iles and delisted Demon Nathan Carroll who was barely recognisable with a clean-shaven face and buzz haircut.

Matt Maguire, Luke Ball and Steven Baker all trained with the main group after suffering injury-riddled seasons, while Brad Howard is still training with the club despite being delisted last Friday.

Riewoldt said he was happy to see his teammates work their way back to fitness.

“It’s great. For Bally it is the first time he has been able to join the pre-season with the main group. To see Goose out there, he’s been through a tumultuous few years. There are positive signs early but he’s got a long way to go. It’s great for the group to have him out there,” he said.

“We also haven’t had Bakes for one and a half years now with the suspension and injury this year. We’ve got a bit of improvement to come back in to our team.”

In other news at the Saints, former Geelong VFL coach Leigh Tudor will take up an assistant coaching role with the club.

Nick Riewoldt at St Kilda training on Monday

More Information

Official AFL Website of the
St Kilda Football Club

Trademark & Copyright   |   Disclaimer   |   © 2012 JELD-WEN Australia