There were no winners from Saturday night’s game between St.Kilda and the Sydney Swans. It was that kind of night. If it were a movie, David Lynch would have directed it.

Rodney Eade gave a fair impersonation in the coach’s box of Dennis Hoppers’ unhinged Frank Booth from Blue Velvet as he tried to come to terms with The Saints surreal tactics.

Just like that film, it was a fresh faced young man who thwarted Eade’s grand plan. Nick Riewoldt, playing only his 11th senior game for St.Kilda was given the task of leading the injury-riddled Saints in defence. His sure marking and precise delivery of the footy kept the Swans at bay until the last gasp. And though it didn’t win his team the four points, it has won him the Rising Star nomination for round, although after the game, he felt anything but a winner.

“It was a really empty feeling. I really think we deserved to win. To put in so much hard work during the week and to follow the game plan well during the game was really encouraging but I suppose two points is better than zero at the end of the day,” he said.

After the mauling the Saints took from the Cats the week before, Saturday’s stalemate could be seen as a moral victory for a team whose senior players were lame and whose commitment was questioned. A few home truths were spoken last week and the players themselves decided they’d run out of excuses

“In the previous two weeks against Port and Geelong there was probably a little too much talk without the action to back it up. We just highlighted that it was a massive opportunity for a lot of young players to get out of the shadow of the senior players.“

A lot of forestry has been sacrificed in printing stories about a cultural crisis at St.Kilda. Of course only the players really know what goes on in the inner sanctum of any footy club. Nick Riewoldt is convinced they must be writing about somewhere else.


“Since I arrived at the club it’s been positive and it seemed like the place you’d want to be with a lot of young players around. Without dwelling too much on the negatives of last year, I learnt a lot from it. Grant Thomas and his coaching staff have been fantastic in instilling a positive belief amongst the players and now we’ve got to transfer it into some on field performance.”

Riewoldt came to AFL footy with the burden of expectation that only number one draft picks know. Taken first in the 2000 draft, the kid from Southport in Queensland managed only six games in his debut season due to a knee injury. In that time he watched as his mate Justin Koschitzke burned brightly and won the AFL Rising Star Award in 2001. Nick Reiwoldt must have been wondering if he’d missed his chance. He needn’t have.

His composure under pressure is what strikes your first about his game. So many young players lose position and suddenly find the game moves on without issuing them an invitation. Riewoldt is on the VIP guest list. His ability to read the game is striking in an era where clubs look to turn athletes into footballers. Nick Riewoldt is both.

It’s enough to set Saints hearts racing to see the tall youngster wearing the number 12 bursting off half back and pumping the ball into the forward line. With his shock of blonde hair the old timers can’t help murmur the name Carl Ditterich. Since Carl took his elbows and headband and said goodbye, a good big man has been hard to find at Moorabbin.

Finally that search maybe over.