THE RESPONSE of the football world that turned Etihad Stadium into a sea of purple on Sunday "overwhelmed" Nick Riewoldt, as he realised just how far his little sister Maddie's final dream had already reached.
A crowd of 45,722 – the venue's biggest this AFL season – turned out to celebrate and support the first fundraiser of Maddie Riewoldt's Vision (MRV).
St Kilda coach Alan Richardson said the clash with Richmond was "about something bigger than footy", which is why the Saints didn't argue when Nick said he was confident his sore right calf would hold up.
He played out the game but was a long way from full fitness.
It was a different kind of lead-up for both Nick and cousin Jack.
There were extensive pre-match interviews, with both doing all they could to raise the profile of MRV.
In the hours before the game and at half-time, Nick's wife Cath and Jack's partner Carly spoke of why MRV had been established.
Footage of Maddie adorned the big screens as the teams ran through their warm-ups, and the strains of 'You'll Never Walk Alone' accompanied the Saints as they left the field; a tribute to her Liverpool fanaticism.
Afterwards, Nick spoke, with his parents Joe and Fiona watching. He couldn't hide how blown away he was with how far they'd come in a matter of months in fulfilling Maddie's wish.
"It's been overwhelming in how all-consuming it's been, the support and how the concept and the MRV has been embraced, how well we've been supported as a family in the most difficult circumstance," he said.
"When I say I'm overwhelmed, I'm overwhelmed at how much we've been able to achieve in such a short space of time.
"It's really challenging at times, to constantly be talking about it, to constantly be almost reliving a lot of the really difficult things to talk about.
"The more work we were doing, it almost might have brought Maddie back in a sense.
"She's certainly living on, and her legacy is going to be really strong."
Nick and Jack Riewoldt in their #fightlikemaddie boots. Picture: AFL Media
For Nick, the week leading into the game was complicated by the fact he had to nurse his second soft-tissue injury this season.
He was given all week to prove his fitness after scans on Monday confirmed a small calf strain from last Sunday's Greater Western Sydney loss.
It was during Thursday's training session the 32-year-old decided he'd be OK to get through the game, albeit in some pain.
But he admitted circumstances might have been different if the game didn't mean what it did.
"I always would push to play – (but) I'm not too sure, the coach might have stepped in and said, 'Have a seat old fella'," he said.
"The club did everything they could to allow me to play today, as long I wasn't a liability, which I don't think I was.
"If I played, it was going to be a really special day and if I didn't play, it was going to be a great day anyway because it wasn't about me or Jack, it was about the MRV and the greater cause.
"I was able to do most of what I needed to do today and got through, so that's pleasing, and I didn't have a recurrence."
Jack, who kicked two goals, agreed the awareness generated at the game was a strong launching pad for MRV.
"I'm extremely proud to be involved and extremely proud of the people behind the scenes who have done a lot of work," Jack said.
"It's a tough game to describe something like this when the build-up centers around your family.
"Two football clubs bonded together for one family, really."
Nick Riewoldt looks to the Tigers fan dressed in purple. Picture: AFL Media
The day wasn't about football, but the big crowd was still treated to a thrilling comeback where the Saints nearly pulled off the impossible by reeling in a 53-point margin to lose by 16.
But more importantly, it showed the Riewoldts how much can be achieved when grief is used as a driving force behind a desire to make a difference.
"Today wasn't about me or Jack or our family or even Maddie, for that matter," Nick said.
"It's about the people who are suffering at the moment, bone marrow failure, and the people who will suffer in the future.
"That's why we created Maddie Riewoldt's Vision - Maddie wanted to work in that area. That was her dream.
"In lieu of her not being able to do that, we have a great platform to be able to continue that and make a difference."
