Going to say it how it is on Riewoldt

[ralphsmith]

This is how it is.

Riewoldt got us into two grand finals single handedly.

The guy has a heart the size of Pharlaps. HOW MANY premierships would we have won if we only had a handful of players with his heart and courage. At least 4.

Watching him in his prime. We all saw it. The burn...he would not stop running. He would burn his opponents into the ground. They could not keep up with his endurance.

What an absolute champion. What a shining light. Could have left lowly stkilda for a richer club to advance his own wealth and ambition, but he never did.

Riewoldt going will leave a big hole in this club.

You think we are feeling despair? What about Riewoldt himself? He has decades of waking up at night in a cold sweat, waking up from a dream where he is playing in a grand final and cant ever win. Week after week, year after year. 5 seconds to go scores are level, cant quite get the ball...cant quite reach it..the horror.
Next night, grand final 3 points down, cant run, cant get the ball, sinews frozen.....the horror.

The torturous years ahead of living with that regret. Yes he did everything in his power to achieve it, but couldnt. It will linger in his soul forever.

It's only a game...........

[I Love Peter Kiel]

Well said, ralphsmith.

In my mind I see Nick running round the boundary like a gazelle and dobbing one of his five (?) goals against Collingwood in the '09 Qualifying Final at the MCG.

At the moment I'm trying not to focus on the frustrations, the dreams unfulfilled.

For the past 17 years he has been a shining light for Saints supporters.

I know he's been well paid, but goddammit he's spent half his life carrying the hopes and dreams of all Saints supporters (how many people? 100 000? 200 000? Half a million?)

I'm sorry, I just have no words.... I just love the man.

[fugazi]

Hmmm ....
Goddard, Hayes, Dal Santo, Fisher, Kosi & Milne.....not a bad handful for starters.
Rooey is an absolute champion and once again out club has failed to reward him with a flag...like Plugged, Loewe, Burney, Banger, Winner, Lenny et al
...

[The Fireman]

should I start another Roo thread ?

[Teflon]

Hmmm ....
Goddard, Hayes, Dal Santo, Fisher, Kosi & Milne.....not a bad handful for starters.
Rooey is an absolute champion and once again out club has failed to reward him with a flag...like Plugged, Loewe, Burney, Banger, Winner, Lenny et al
...

Do clubs "reward" players with flags?
Or do players take the opportunity when presented?

Not being critical of Roo a champ no question but I think in 2009-2011 the opportunities were there...

[saintspremiers]

There will never be another Trevor Barker but Rooey is his after life

[Teflon]

On Roo:

Once in a generation player and its proven so
How often does a top 5 all time great of your club arrive, play brilliantly for 17 years, most games by any number 1 draft pick??how often do clubs simply get unlucky on number 1 picks? (Usually a good player ofcourse..... but Nick Riewoldt good??). We hit pay dirt and still come up sucking our thumb...

I'm genuinely disappointed and concerned that when I look at this list objectively I simply don't see anything remotely approaching that level and I truly don't see a name that jumps off the page that says "match winner"
Yes they have days, cameos and patches but all league players do.
It could be a very long time before the next young N Riewoldt ever enters our gates - at least we can say we had the privilege of watching the last one.

[thejiggingsaint]

This is how it is.

Riewoldt got us into two grand finals single handedly.

The guy has a heart the size of Pharlaps. HOW MANY premierships would we have won if we only had a handful of players with his heart and courage. At least 4.

Watching him in his prime. We all saw it. The burn...he would not stop running. He would burn his opponents into the ground. They could not keep up with his endurance.

What an absolute champion. What a shining light. Could have left lowly stkilda for a richer club to advance his own wealth and ambition, but he never did.

Riewoldt going will leave a big hole in this club.

You think we are feeling despair? What about Riewoldt himself? He has decades of waking up at night in a cold sweat, waking up from a dream where he is playing in a grand final and cant ever win. Week after week, year after year. 5 seconds to go scores are level, cant quite get the ball...cant quite reach it..the horror.
Next night, grand final 3 points down, cant run, cant get the ball, sinews frozen.....the horror.

The torturous years ahead of living with that regret. Yes he did everything in his power to achieve it, but couldnt. It will linger in his soul forever.

It's only a game...........

Unless the guy is an absolute phoney ( ) the clear impression that I got from listening to his presser, is that there are NO regrets, NO " nightmares", NO despair. Simply an honest and mature acceptance of events and outcomes. A few of us on here could do well to learn from his example.