Richmond spearhead Jack Riewoldt has weighed in on the greatest Tasmanian footballer of the AFL era debate, declaring former teammate Matthew Richardson the undisputed king of the Apple Isle.
Riewoldt, a two-time premiership player with the Tigers, snubbed five-time All-Australian and cousin Nick, who recently edged out Richardson to win an AFL Tasmania online poll.
Richardson played 17 seasons at the Tigers, kicking 800 goals to take 12th spot on the league's all-time goals list.
On Monday, Riewoldt was asked how he felt about ranking among Tasmania's top eight players in the AFL era, but his attention quickly shifted to who he felt was the state's greatest footballer.
"It's pretty humbling," Riewoldt said. "I'm a really passionate Tasmanian and passionate about footy down there.
"Did he win it? Did 'Roey' [Nick Riewoldt] win it? I thought 'Richo' should have won it! Disappointing. Well Richo had my vote."
Riewoldt, who was born and raised in Hobart, has been vocal in pushing for an AFL team in Tasmania. It was something which appeared to be gathering momentum before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, fracturing the football landscape.
But he now believes the coronavirus situation could turn out to be a blessing in disguise for Tasmanian football fans.
"Initially I probably thought it might push Tassie's push for a footy side back a few years," Riewoldt said. "But maybe it accelerates it to the point where we need to get more games of footy.
"You've only got to look at the financial modelling of Melbourne with nine teams and there's been a fair bit of commentary whether it'll be financially stable and able to continue this way. What North Melbourne and Hawthorn have provided the people down there is fantastic [but] hopefully one day we can have our own side as a state."