Sad news for Richmond Tigers: He will never play again..

“A legend of our team,” Jack Riewoldt declares his retirement while Richmond confirms the final game information.

With champion forward Jack Riewoldt announcing his retirement, Richmond’s changing of the guard has continued.

Riewoldt, one of just five Tigers in club history to have played 300 games, made the decision on Tuesday morning and will be retiring after the club’s match against North Melbourne this coming Saturday.

In recent weeks, Riewoldt has been debating whether to continue playing next year. However, he has decided to end his career, joining fellow club legend Trent Cotchin in doing so. The two will play their final games on Saturday.

He released a statement saying, “I am ready for the next chapter, and I think the club is ready to regenerate and find a new path forward.”

“I never imagined that my journey would take me to this point or that I would participate in anything similar to what I have.” However, I am incredibly appreciative of everyone who contributed.

It has been said that a meaningful discussion in a hostile cafe launched Richmond’s incredible triple premiership era and brought about long-lasting cultural change

The thing about “creating a culture” that other teams have imitated, according to Riewoldt, that most proudly he did was discuss his pre-season philosophy with Cotchin, a premiership captain and fellow club champion.

He claimed that at the close of 2016, the two had a conversation on the legacy they wanted to leave at the club over a coffee at Essendon cafe St Rose. Their decision to refocus produced results right away.

“I discussed the St. Rose Cafe mythology with the guys. Trent and I got together over coffee and talked about legacy and what it meant for us as senior players even back then, according to Riewoldt.

“(It was about) what we were going to do to give players like Daniel Rioli, who was only in his second year at the time, his 11th premiership.

Surprisingly, everything happened quickly, everyone was involved, and we discovered that storytelling was the thread that united our group. things took only five or six months for things to turn around.

“Everything came together, and even though we had discussed Daniel participating in the upcoming premiership and Richmond Cup, we ended up right in the thick of things.”

Speaking to reporters, staff, and Richmond players on Tuesday, Riewoldt broke down in tears as he discussed how crucial it is for Cotchin to retire at the same time as him. The two will play their final games against North Melbourne at the MCG on Saturday.

“It seems like yesterday,” he remarked, “sitting on the porch of his parents’ vacation home in Moama, enjoying a few VBs with his elderly father, and generally having the best time of our life at the age of 19.

“In the time we’ve been with the football club, we’ve lived incredible lives. Trent and I are very eager to see what lies ahead on our journey.

Following his attempt on Sunday to take a trademark jumping mark over a St Kilda opponent, Riewoldt remarked that he knew his playing days were coming to an end.

“I think that was the moment I realized it was all over,” he remarked, recalling his attempt to jump on Jack Sinclair over the weekend.

“I’ve moved from kneeling guys on the shoulders or behind the head… I believe that I may have hit him somewhat above the tailbone.

“This week will be a real emotional mash-up of joy and sorrow. there’s also a mourning component to it. In the end, it will be a reflection on the past 17 years of recollections.

The All-Australian and three-time Coleman medalist expressed his curiosity about the Tigers’ quick ascent, drawing comparisons between the poor campaign and the 2016 season, when they ended 13th before winning the flag the following year.

He remarked, “I can’t wait to see some amazing talent in the room—talent we haven’t seen at the AFL level yet.”

“Some amazing guys need to step up and take on the leadership role. I’m excited to be on the other side of the fence and see the journey from a different perspective.”

Riewoldt leaves the game with one of the most impressive resumes of the modern age. He is also a three-time Premiership player, a three-time All-Australian, a two-time best and fairest award winner, and an 11-time club goalkicker, including leading it again this season. Over the course of 17 seasons and 346 AFL games, he has kicked 786 goals.

Raised in the Hobart suburb of Bellerive and made his senior debut for Clarence prior to being taken by the Tigers at pick 13 in the 2006 national draft, Riewoldt has been a staunch supporter of the Tasmanian team.

“While my career has been long, it began the same way for everyone who walks through the doors with hope, curiosity, and excitement, and I have just been lucky that so many people have invested in me,” he added. “It is so important to realize your own story.”

“I really will miss everything, but I think I will miss the battle and everything that comes with being a member of this club the most.”

Brendon Gale, the chief executive of Richmond, called Riewoldt a “giant of our club.”

He claimed that Jack was “a natural football player who arrived from Tasmania with a brashness that had him seemingly destined for stardom.”

“He led the supporters on a thrilling ride while playing the game with an incredible zeal and emotion. Jack was always content to have the ball in his hands and to be in the moment. He was willing to take on the responsibility that came with being one of our early adopters.

“Jack was someone who gave us hope at the moment. Even though we were still developing the field, we had a star in the form of a gun forward who had won the Coleman Medal. The Tiger Army welcomed him with open arms because he was Richmond and truly cared for the team, its members, and the supporters.

“Jack improved the players around him as his football career progressed, and the team naturally flourished. He was akin to another coach with his leadership qualities and football acumen. When you combine his tenacity and competitiveness, he played a significant role in turning around our football team’s fortunes.