ST KILDA captain Nick Riewoldt uses the word opportunity when he considers how to respond to recruit Jake Carlisle's rocky start at the Saints.
 
Obvious to everyone, including Riewoldt and teammate Leigh Montagna, is that the 24-year-old has to do a lot of work to earn the respect of the group he joined during the trade period after his 85 games with Essendon.
 
What becomes even more obvious over breakfast on the morning of the Virgin Australia International Rules Series Test, is that Carlisle's actions will speak louder than any of his words.
 
But if those actions happen, then the duo will back the key defender to the hilt.

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"It is a great opportunity for us to help someone and for him (Carlisle) to be a reflection of St Kilda's improvement and culture," Riewoldt told AFL.com.au.
 
Whatever Carlisle did wrong overseas happened before he arrived at St Kilda.
 
People understand that, so St Kilda's leaders want to support the person and change some of the behaviour.
 
Being late to training last week did not help initial impressions, but that might be seen in the future as a minor hiccup on the road to redemption.
 
Time will tell.
 
"We can embrace Jake as one of our own now and we are going to do some work. We want him to be a great St Kilda person for a long time," Montagna said.
 
"Everyone knows he has got a lot of work to do but we are going to give him every chance because it can be of benefit not only to him but to the Saints if we can get the best out of him. That would be a great result for Jake and a great result for us."
 
The two stars don't tolerate people who say one thing and do another at any level of the club. That comes from a sense of fairness rather than thinking they have every answer.
 
"No one wants to let anyone else in the organisation down because everyone knows how hard everyone else is working," Riewoldt said.
 
Montagna said the same principles apply to all the players.
 
"Some kids can fall into the trap of being a very good talker… they are probably the guys that frustrate a lot of older players when they say the right things but don't actually do the actions," Montagna said.
 
"We want to see kids who just train hard, head down and bum up and do the best they can day in day out and learn and improve. It's as simple as that, really."
 
In the past few seasons the club has collected a bunch of youngsters who deliver with actions. They also have a coach in Alan Richardson who has impressed with his honest approach and transparent relationships.
 
And they look around the club and see the right people in the right jobs.
 
Riewoldt is excited about the character of his young teammates.
 
"They are a really good group. As a leader, you are really excited about working with them and you want to work with them and when you see the improvements and the gains, you're just really proud of them," Riewoldt said.
 
"They're great young people."
 
Montagna and Riewoldt were young people – in football terms – once. Now they're great mates and respected figures in the game.
 
Riewoldt's competitiveness is obvious as he prepares to represent Australia.
 
At meetings and training he is inquisitive, asking questions, looking at vision, leaving the track late.
 
When the job is done he can switch off, spend time with his friends and family, be quick with a smile.
 
That he has played 298 games and just turned 33 is hard to believe, as he looks, even in November, in superb condition.
 
His knee is as good as it's been for five years or so and the extended break in America with his wife, Catherine, and their young child James, will give him a chance to refresh and spend time with his wife's family.
 
He wants to leave a legacy at the Saints but he knows he is just one part of a turnaround in perceptions as the club reconnects with supporters.
 
"We know the path we are on," Riewoldt said.
 
He wants the bonds he formed with teammates such as Montagna to be something the youngsters on the Saints' list experience too.
 
"Where the really close bond will come is being able to dig in together, earn respect of each other for the way you play your footy, and have some great experiences together," Riewoldt said.
 
"That is the next step. Our role within that is to make sure they have those great experiences because they are well prepared to achieve some great things in their career."
 
Montagna is doing what he has always done on this tour, being quick, loyal, cheeky, a grin never far from his face.
 
He has woken excited on game day to be playing alongside Riewoldt in an Australian jumper.
 
Throw in Brendon Goddard, Luke Hodge and others as teammates, and Montagna becomes like a kid in a candy shop.
 
"While I keep getting asked, I'll keep playing [for Australia] because I just enjoy getting away with guys I get to play against my whole career and guys I admire watching," Montagna said.
 
That the duo belongs in such esteemed company is credit to what they have achieved.
 
But they want their club to achieve great things too.
 
They have been around long enough to know they can only do so much to support any individual. The individuals need to do the work.
 
If Carlisle doesn't consider himself fortunate to be catching up with these two Saints soon, he should think again.
 
Their message is one to embrace.
 
"It is up to him to see whether he wants to forge that respect and put his head down and work hard, play football and do all the right things," Montagna said.
 
"That is all we want to see out of him."