He’s also played on plenty of opponents more heralded, and certainly fitter, than Melbourne’s Tom McDonald, who was limping around with a corky before quarter-time.

But it’s hard to think of too many matches in which Riewoldt has made a more emphatic statement about his structural and symbolic importance to his club. Not to mention the continued capabilities of a 31-year-old with a dicky knee that required yet more surgery in the off-season, and for whom getting to the line each weekend is a feat in itself.

You could tell from Riewoldt’s post-siren reaction that this win meant more than most. At the helm of a team full of youngsters still feeling their way. And of a team that has gone in four years from a being a bounce of a football away from a flag to a popular wooden-spoon tip.

He dragged them over the line as he usually does, with relentless running to all parts of the ground. With a critical chasing down and nailing of an opponent when the Saints were patently struggling early on. With 23 disposals, a dozen marks, and three goals on a night when reliable key forwards were conspicuous by their absence. He was the difference.

After five best and fairests, three All-Australian selections and entering a ninth season as St Kilda captain, it seems ridiculous that we should be discussing whether Riewoldt receives enough kudos for what he does. But it was a popular talking point after Saturday night’s game.

Particularly after new coach Alan Richardson, having seen plenty of his skipper from afar over his years as an assistant at a host of rival clubs, had found a whole new level of acclamation after one game in charge. ''He’s incredible … I’m blessed, really. It’s like another assistant [coach] there on the ground,'' he said.

And, arguably - now there’s only one allowed on the ground - another runner as well. Has any key forward in the game’s history covered as much territory as Riewoldt? It’s doubtful. On Saturday night, he worked deep into defence when St Kilda was under siege. Then as the balance shifted, but goals needed, he worked closer to the sticks, converting where others couldn’t.

But in his case, familiarity has bred, if not contempt, a world-weary view of his status. It’s perhaps as much a reflection of the broader view of St Kilda, a club that came so close to the ultimate, but has long since lost the attention of most as it has slid down the ladder.

Yet the fact Riewoldt hasn’t also slid on an individual level does deserve more acclaim. It was too easy to conclude the end was nigh when he struggled (by his lofty standards) through 2011. Significant, though, that he was still good enough to that year finish second in the club’s goalkicking and eighth in the best and fairest.

He rebounded from that “poor” year to earn a nomination in the 2012 All-Australian squad of 40, fifth in the Saints’ best and fairest, and must have been very close to the All-Australian 22 last year when only Jack Steven polled more votes in his club’s best-player award.

At the same time, Riewoldt has dealt with the reality that he will never play in a premiership side with St Kilda. But, speaking at the AFL captain’s day before the start of last season, he spoke to me with genuine enthusiasm about embracing different challenges.

''It’s definitely less about me now given the nature of our list,'' he said. ''We’ve got a very young and impressionable group, so the onus is really on the senior guys to try to leave a good legacy. That’s certainly what I’m about at the moment.''

Former grand final teammate Brendon Goddard had recently left the fold. And since Riewoldt spoke those words, so have Nick Dal Santo and Ben McEvoy, along with retired close friend Justin Koschitzke and a very handy forward ally in Stephen Milne.

At the close of last year, Riewoldt, like others, had grave concerns about where his club was headed, and had a sizeable carrot dangled before him by Collingwood president Eddie McGuire. He’d seen Luke Ball head to the Magpies and land that elusive flag.

But still he’s with his original club. Something of a father figure now to an army of young St Kilda players. Still setting the example, tirelessly running up and back, up and back, up and back, burning  his opponents to a crisp.

Wins like Saturday’s still make it worthwhile for him. And perhaps make the rest of us realise that we do tend to take this modern-day great of the game for granted.

AND WHILE I’M AT IT …

MEDAL? WHAT MEDAL?

Such was the fervour surrounding the latest outbreak of controversy regarding suspended Essendon coach James Hird that it was perhaps surprising nobody seemed to notice something missing from last Friday night’s match rundown.

Since 2008, the Bombers and Kangaroos have played for the Hird-Archer Medal, the latter the official “Shinboner of the Century”, the former named Essendon’s third-greatest player of all time. But one right now not only on the nose with the public but seemingly at odds with his own club.

The medal was presented with much fanfare initially, but by the last occasion the clubs met late last season, seemed an almost an afterthought, quietly presented to North’s Daniel Wells in the rooms after the game.

Essendon captain Jobe Watson would have been a monty for it this time around, but the Kangaroos, as home team last Friday, never received a phone call from the Bombers about the arrangements.

There has been a bit going on at Essendon, but one suspects if it was an oversight it was one, in the present circumstances, the club wouldn’t have been too unhappy about given the potential for embarrassment.

EASY DOES IT, HAWKS

There can’t have been too many reigning premiers go into their next premiership match missing close to one-third of their grand final-winning line-up. Nor coped as smoothly as did Hawthorn against Brisbane on Saturday.

No Franklin, Rioli, Lake, Sewell, Stratton, Guerra or Bailey? No worries for the Hawks. With all due respect to Max Bailey, Ben McEvoy is a step up in the ruck. In defence, with Brian Lake and Ben Stratton missing, Alastair Clarkson was able to make do with the hardly key position-sized Kyle Cheney.

And Buddy who? Hawthorn still managed 21 goals against the Lions with Jarryd Roughead and Luke Breust sharing a cool 10, and the remaining 11 shared by another eight contributors.

All that plus an eight-goal final term and a winning margin of 48 points and Clarkson was still able to bemoan his side’s rustiness in its opening hit-out. Might not be pretty for opponents when the Hawks actually hit their stride.

THE LONG WEEKEND

Nine games spread across 10 days, seven different dates and nine different start times. Round one is finally over, but not before a significant number of football fans have given a resounding thumbs down to its scheduling.

While we’re sympathetic to the need for two byes, plus the complications of cricket’s contract with the MCG, there has to be another way.

All the longest round managed to do was dilute the impact of the season’s start and present all sorts of logistical nightmares for families trying to get their footy fix around work and school commitments. We gave it a D minus.