JACK Riewoldt has added a second Jack Dyer Medal to his trophy cabinet after capping off his All Australian year by winning Richmond's best and fairest on Tuesday night.
The 29-year-old edged out midfielder Kane Lambert and Dustin Martin to win the count, held at a sold-out Crown Palladium in Melbourne.
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Riewoldt polled 81 votes to win ahead of Lambert (68) and Martin (66), with Shane Edwards (65) and Dylan Grimes (64) rounding out the top five.
The spearhead kicked 65 goals in the home-and-away series, plus five across the Tigers' two finals, to win his third career Coleman medal last month.
He was also named All Australian for the third time.
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Riewoldt won his first Jack Dyer Medal back in 2010, the year he booted 78 goals to win his first Coleman.
While he was named the Tigers' leading goalkicker for the ninth straight season, it was his marking and ability to bring his teammates into the play that set him apart in 2018.
He was first in the competition for marks inside 50 with 95, took the most contested marks at the club, and finished third in goal assists.
Riewoldt is due to line up for his 250th career game in round one next season, although his wife of 11 months Carly is due with their first baby in March, which could mean the spearhead is in doubt for round one depending on the timing.
After thanking the support staff, fans, family and his teammates, Riewoldt referenced the musical education coach Damien Hardwick gave the players this year and used it as a way to describe how he had felt over the past two weeks since the lost preliminary final to Collingwood.
"[Throughout the year], he spoke about AC/DC, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, the Bee Gees, Pink Floyd … unfortunately Queen in the last game couldn't get us over the line," Riewoldt said.
"The last two weeks have been summed up in a song by Jimmy Cliff called 'I Can See Clearly Now'.
"The first verse sums up my last two weeks; 'I can see clearly now the rain has gone, I can see all obstacles in my way, gone are the dark clouds that had me blind' – the dark clouds are obviously losing the final and thinking what could have been.
"Unfortunately, living the journey last year and enjoying that finals success was something all of us dreamed of in season 2018 but it wasn't to be.
"It was a really disappointing time but in reflection, it's going to be a bright sunny day … and there's plenty of sunny days to come for the mighty Tiger army and season 2019."
Lambert finished second despite missing the last two home-and-away games with an ankle injury that needed surgery, while Martin placed third despite sitting out one game mid-year and playing well below peak fitness in the preliminary final.
Despite not reaching the lofty heights he set in 2017, Martin was still No.1 in the AFL for centre clearances, and first at the Tigers in kicks, disposals, contested possessions, clearances, centre clearances and inside 50s.
He was also Richmond's third highest goalkicker behind Riewoldt and Josh Caddy with 31 goals.
Martin thanked his family, namely his father Shane who remains in New Zealand after being deported from Australia in 2016.
The midfielder spent the last week in New Zealand and only flew back into Melbourne on Tuesday morning, ahead of a planned trip to Thailand with Riewoldt and other teammates that leaves early on Wednesday morning.
"What we've been able to achieve over the last two years, I never would have dreamt of, a premiership and a preliminary final," Martin said.
"And, we're only getting started so see you soon."
Under the Jack Dyer Medal voting system, all players on match day receive a rating from 0-5 based on their overall performance.
The match committee assesses each player's offensive, defensive and contest impacts on the game.
Votes are not allocated for what the match committee deems a below-average performance.
2018 Jack Dyer Medal top 10
1. Jack Riewoldt - 81
2. Kane Lambert - 68
3. Dustin Martin - 66
4. Shane Edwards - 65
5. Dylan Grimes - 64
6. Alex Rance - 63
7. Trent Cotchin - 58
8. Nick Vlastuin - 51
9. Jayden Short - 47
10. Josh Caddy - 45
