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St Kilda champion Nick Riewoldt announces his retirement

Sam McClure

St Kilda champion Nick Riewoldt has announced he will retire at the end of the season.

The veteran, who is a six-time best and fairest with the Saints and a five-time All-Australian, said at a press conference on Monday that he was excited about the "four weeks and beyond", after telling his teammates of his decision at the club's Seaford headquarters on Monday morning.

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Nick Riewoldt announces retirement

St Kilda veteran Nick Riewoldt has announced the 2017 AFL season will be his last. AAP

"A lot of people get to this stage and they have fears about the future ... I have no fears about what's next," Riewoldt said.

Riewoldt, who has not won a premiership in his acclaimed and illustrious career, said he was content to walk away. He played in three grand finals – a loss to Geelong in 2009, and the famous drawn grand final of 2010 with Collingwood, then losing the grand final replay the next week.

"I'm content knowing that we gave it an absolute crack [to win a flag], and we fell short," Riewoldt said.

"Wins and losses are part of your football career, and I can cop that."

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Riewoldt, 34, was rested on the weekend from the match against Port Adelaide, which St Kilda narrowly lost, and had been pushing for a decision from the club about his future in recent weeks.

St Kilda coach Alan Richardson paid tribute to Riewoldt as one of the great modern forwards of the game. "It's been enormous for a coach to have someone like Nick alongside me."

Riewoldt is St Kilda's longest-serving captain and made his debut in 2001. He gave up the captaincy last year, with Jarryn Geary replacing him.

He has played 14 games this year, with his career tally currently standing at 333, and kicked 25 goals so far this year for a total of 714. 

His father, Joe, tweeted on Monday that there were just "4 more games".

In the final four rounds of the home-and-away season, St Kilda will play West Coast at Etihad Stadium, Melbourne at the MCG, North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium, and Richmond at the MCG, although the day and time of the fixture against the Tigers has yet to be finalised.

"All I've been able to control over the past 17 years is the way I've prepared and the way I've carried myself ... it seems a bit ridiculous that this has been a job for 17 years, it's been so much fun," Riewoldt said.

It remains unclear what the plans of fellow Saints veteran Leigh Montagna are after he severely tore his hamstring. 

NICK RIEWOLDT

* Age: 34

* Recruited by St Kilda from the Southport (Qld) with the priority No.1 selection, 2000 national draft

* AFL debut round 15, 2001

* 333 senior games for St Kilda, second behind Robert Harvey's 383

* Six-time club best and fairest

* Five-time All-Australian (captain 2009, vice-captain 2014)

* Rising Star winner 2002

* Club record 220 games as captain

* 714 goals, third-most for St Kilda

* Four-time club leading goalkicker

* 2004 AFLPA most valuable player

* Three-time international rules player

* Most marks in a season with 256, in 2004. Led marks last year with 222. Six times most marks in a season.

* 2922 marks, the most in AFL history since records were kept

With AAP

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