'Reinvigorated' Riewoldt thrilled by Saints' talent path
Saints skipper says young guns have given him a 'newfound purpose'
ST KILDA captain Nick Riewoldt says he feels "reinvigorated" by the club's emerging list and is confident in the direction the side is taking.
The Saints enter Thursday's NAB AFL Draft with four live picks – Nos.1, 21, 22 and 41 – after last year recruiting the likes of Jack Billings and Luke Dunstan via the draft.
"The club's been really transparent in the approach they wanted to take with going to the draft (and) getting as many talented young kids through the door as we could," Riewoldt said on Monday prior to the club's 2km time trial.
"There's having that plan and then there's actually executing it, and the club has executed it really well so far."
The 32-year-old said he was keen to pass on his experience to the next crop of Saints, including to the prized No.1 pick.
"It's exciting, it really is, and it's going to get even better in a week's time (at the draft)," he said.
"Whoever walks through the door, they're going to be a quality player coming in at pick one.
"The responsibility as a senior player is the same – it's to mentor and help develop those people to be great players for the footy club."
Riewoldt said the injection of young talent to the senior squad would also help the side's more experienced players.
"They definitely reinvigorate and energise some of the older players," he said.
"They give you a newfound purpose, and the faster they can develop and become quality senior players, the better off everyone's going to be."
Meanwhile, defender Jarryn Geary led from start to finish to take out the club's 2km time trial.
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