Riewoldt became the first player in Richmond’s history to win the club's best-and-fairest medal and the competition’s leading goalkicker award in the same season when he claimed his first Jack Dyer Medal on Wednesday night.
“It was actually the first best and fairest I’ve ever won, in any sort of football, any grade or anything like that,” the 21-year-old said from Punt Road on Thursday.
“So it was a pretty special moment. [I was] sitting next to the girlfriend last night and I was not nervous until about round 18 and I started shaking and I didn’t know what to do.
“When everyone stood up and started applauding I was a bit embarrassed, so I didn’t know how to accept it or how to receive other people’s gratitude towards me.”
Riewoldt, who took out the Coleman Medal with 78 home-and-away season goals, won the Jack Dyer Medal from captain Chris Newman and the winner of the past two years, Brett Deledio.
Dustin Martin's superb debut season was recognised with fourth place, with Shane Tuck finished fifth.
The full-forward didn’t expect to walk away with the night’s major prize.
“I thought I had a fairly good year but I backed the skipper (Newman) in the whole way,” he said.
“Individual awards, they’re great to receive - same as the Coleman it was really good to receive - but I mean everyone up there last night that won an award... they’d trade it in for a premiership and I’d do that in a heartbeat.”
His cousin, St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt, leads one of eight clubs still in the running to claim the AFL premiership.
While Jack will take a break - which will include a trip to his native Tasmania - before resuming training, he said he would keep a close eye on his cousin - who had been quick to send a congratulatory text message upon learning of the Tiger’s best and fairest win.
“My parents are actually coming over tomorrow [Friday] night and we’re going to sneak along to the footy with my younger brother and have a look at the Saints up against the Cats,” Riewoldt said.
“Because he’s family I’m sort of hoping he can have the success that he wants to over this finals campaign and hopefully he can achieve the goals that he wants to achieve.”
And the young Tiger superstar, who is now only four behind his famous cousin when it comes to best-and-fairests, believes Nick will have a big part to play in the coming month.
“I think the Kangaroos game... he was starting to hit his straps again,” he said.
“His work rate and his time on the ground is definitely going up every week, so he’s going to be an integral part to them having success over the finals series.
“He’s starting to get back to the All-Australian form and the super form that he’s shown in past years.”
| 1st | Jack Riewoldt | 210 votes |
| 2nd | Chris Newman | 204 |
| 3rd | Brett Deledio | 193 |
| 4th | Dustin Martin | 159 |
| 5th | Shane Tuck | 153 |
| 6th | Shane Edwards | 151 |
| 7th | Trent Cotchin | 131 |
| 8th | Kelvin Moore | 123 |
| 9th | Jake King | 117 |
| 10th | Daniel Jackson | 114 |
