Nick Riewoldt might have three years left at AFL level, but Lenny Hayes at 34 almost certainly does not.
Both were named on Friday in St Kilda’s six-man leadership group for 2014, with Riewoldt confirmed as captain for a ninth season.
Coming off a 16th-placed finish in 2013 and with new coach Alan Richardson in charge, the Saints are all about showing some improvement.
Riewoldt says his main goal is to put a stamp on the club by fast-tracking a new era.
“Legacy is probably the right word,” Riewoldt told reporters on Friday.
“We want to make sure the club’s in better condition in two or three years, whenever it is that we hang up the boots, than it is today.”
Fellow 30-somethings Sean Dempster and Leigh Montagna are also part of St Kilda’s leadership group, alongside David Armitage (25) and Jarryn Geary (25).
St Kilda used consultancy group Leading Teams, including ex-Saint Justin Peckett, to help define their leadership group.
“We’re going to have a really young team this year and these guys behind me as leaders are going to have a really significant role in our progress as a team,” Richardson said.
Riewoldt has led the Saints in 160 games including grand-final losses in 2009 and 2010.
Barring injury, the star forward will break Danny Frawley’s club record of 177 matches as captain later this year.
“That would certainly be a huge honour,” said Riewoldt, 31.
“Spud was a terrific leader of the football club.
“We want to make a difference as a leadership group.
“We’ve felt a little bit disappointed in the last couple of seasons about our ability to do that.
“We’re a proud group and have reached some heights and in the last couple of years our performances haven’t been great.
“We want to start to climb our way back up the ladder.”
Riewoldt said the training-track examples set by Norm Smith Medallist Hayes and two-time All-Australian Montagna would be crucial.
“We need that to permeate throughout the entire group,” he said.
“I’ve had discussions with Lenny Hayes and Leigh Montagna about their enthusiasm, their motivation coming into the season.
“You look at Leigh last year in his performance, just the pride of the individual gets you through with your own performance (finishing second in the best-and-fairest award).
“We’re certainly excited about the opportunity that we’ve got now to shape the direction of the football club.
“We were young players once and we were shown the right way to do things so that’s our role now.”
Montagna has signed for three more seasons. The 30-year-old is motivated by the lure of more September action, even if many would argue that’s an unlikely short-term goal.
“I’m pretty optimistic that I’ll be playing finals football again, whether it’s this year or in the coming years,” he said.
