Richmond spearhead Jack Riewoldt is hoping his cousin Nick will take his place on the field for this Sunday’s ‘Maddie’s Match’ at Etihad Stadium.
St Kilda’s Nick Riewoldt is nursing a calf strain, and racing the clock to be fit for what is sure to be an emotional day for the Riewoldt family.
The cousins caught up at Melbourne Zoo today to promote the match, which will be played to honour the recent passing of Madeleine Riewoldt.
Madeleine suffered from a Bone Marrow Failure Syndrome called Aplastic Anemia, which ultimately claimed her life at the age of 26.
“It would be fantastic for the Saints, for starters, and the Vision,” Jack Riewoldt said.
“For the effort we’ve put in, I would love to see him out there.”
Last month, Nick and Jack, together with their extended family, launched Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision, which was established to help adolescents and young adults suffering from Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes through research and providing support into prevention and treatments, with an aim to find a cure.
This Sunday, both teams will wear modified guernseys featuring the colour purple, which was Madeleine’s favourite colour, the Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision logo, and the hashtag #fightlikemaddie.
$5 from every ticket purchased will to go towards the Vision, and there will be merchandise on sale at the game.
Fans are being urged to pre-purchase their ticket for the match – click here to book
For Jack Riewoldt, playing St Kilda is always an occasion he looks forward to.
“I love playing against the Saints, because I’m playing against a family member, which is always great fun,” he said.
“They’re playing a great brand of footy at the moment. They’ve got some really good young kids that have come in and revitalized, I think, their older group, who are playing some great footy as well.
“For us, it’s going to be a challenge. We’re going to have to be on defensively, because offensively they’ve shown they can easily kick over 100 points.”
To donate to Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision, visit mrv.org.au or SMS ‘Maddie’ to 0437 371 371.
