IF ALL the noises coming from the Saints are to be believed, Nick Riewoldt will captain St Kilda for the last time on Sunday against the Brisbane Lions.

As the Saints head into a new era under Alan Richardson, the desire to look to the next generation is sound.

So far they have handled the transition from one era to the next well, blending experience with youth along the journey.

It has proved a winning formula as they have, more or less, avoided the pitfalls that have brought down other clubs trying to cross that bridge.

So why don't the Saints consider continuing that blend when it comes to the captaincy?

Could Riewoldt remain as joint captain alongside his heir apparent for a season?

The club would benefit in several ways.

There is no obvious candidate to take over from Riewoldt.

Jack Steven, David Armitage and Jarryn Geary have claims but aren't obvious choices either.

Steven is a brilliant player but might be someone who prefers to concentrate on his game. Armitage has been inconsistent this season and Geary has a low profile outside St Kilda, despite his standing within the club.

So while Riewoldt has been selfless in his apparent willingness to hand over the title, if he carried on for one more year he could support his teammate as he makes that adjustment to being the captain.

The job is not as easy as many perceive and clubs as strong as the Sydney Swans share the title and the workload. 

It would have been handy, in hindsight, for Fremantle to have Matthew Pavlich and David Mundy with the title this season or for Trent Cotchin to be Richmond skipper alongside Chris Newman in his first season.

It would be no knock on Steven, Armitage or Geary to have a season alongside Riewoldt.

There would be another bonus for Riewoldt and the Saints if he was co-captain next season - he would pass Carlton champion Stephen Kernahan's long-standing AFL/VFL record of 226 games as Blues skipper.

If Sunday is his last game as skipper, he would have led the Saints for 220 games, just six games shy of Kernahan's record.

Such records should not determine any club decision nor motivate individuals, but such a consideration should not be dismissed lightly even if it doesn't fit with the hard-edged approach of modern football.

It would be a nice legacy for the Saints champion to carry into retirement when that moment comes.

The handover appears in train but all options should be considered to ensure the Saints' upward momentum doesn't stall under a new leader.