Nick Riewoldt, after a decade hiatus, finally rolled into Launceston and boldy declared: “I’m ready to play”.
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He was nodding, not to shake off the ill effects of concussion, but to reassure fans’ questions over his fitness.
A lot has changed since the St Kilda champion last heard the cheers from the sidelines at Aurora Stadium. And the one-time Tasmanian was making up for lost time.
St Kilda’s legion of Tassie supporters, who outnumbered the hometown Hawks during Friday’s open-training ‘captain’s run’, lapped up their heroes signing autographs and posing for selfies.
The Saints players grudgingly walked off one after another 10 or 15 minutes after mixing with the public. But Riewoldt wouldn’t budge.
Nearly half an hour passed and he was the man every fan that bleeds red, white and black wanted to greet.
When a Saints official insisted it was time to to call it a day, that the bus was ready to head back to the team’s motel, Riewoldt refused to leave hundreds of fans waiting.
“I’ll run back later,” he was heard to say.
