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Good news for saints supporters
from www.news.com.au
from www.news.com.au
Riewoldt and Dal Santo sign on
July 18, 2007 ST Kilda co-captain Nick Riewoldt has demonstrated his faith in rookie coach Ross Lyon and the Saints' future prospects by knocking back bigger offers to sign with the club for the next three seasons.
Star midfield player Nick Dal Santo also signed a new three-year deal, with both players refusing to entertain offers from other clubs, despite manager Ricky Nixon claiming they could have doubled their wages by going elsewhere.
Riewoldt, 24, who will be a 10-year player with the Saints by the end of his new deal, said his only concern was to experience success with his teammates.
"We're in for the long haul and it's all been about keeping the group together like we said we'd do five or six years ago," he said.
Saints chief executive Archie Fraser said the double signing was an endorsement of the club's direction and likely to result in more players following suit, which the star pair's reasonable salary demands would make possible.
"They understand that if in fact they ask for too much, with the salary cap, then it destroys the group," Fraser said.
"Every time we've had discussions about the long-term future of the club they've considered their teammates, considered the long-term success.
"I'm sure that both those players could have got more dollars elsewhere, but I think they both realised that long-term success is at St Kilda Football Club."
Nixon said there had been plenty of clubs lining up to entice the two with bigger salaries.
"It's probably fair to say double, round about double," he said of what they could have landed on the open market.
Riewoldt, a native Queenslander, said that Brisbane Lions had been among the clubs showing interest.
"It was never seriously entertained, because I was always keen to stay at the club and stay with my teammates and hopefully achieve something down the track with them," he said.
There had also been speculation that last year's shock sacking of coach Grant Thomas could have weakened Riewoldt's commitment to the Saints, given his closeness to the former coach.
But he denied that was an issue, and he angrily dismissed suggestions that Thomas's sacking had affected his relationship with Lyon.
"It's never had an adverse effect on my relationship with Ross Lyon since Ross walked in the door," Riewoldt said.
"I've had a great relationship with Ross Lyon and that's never changed, so I would have thought the whole issue was put to bed a few months ago when the season actually started."
Dal Santo, 23, who will have been at the club for nine years by the time his new contract expires, was hopeful other Saints would now be convinced to stay.
"We'd like to think so, once again we spoke about this five years ago that we'd like to stay together for as long as we possibly could," Dal Santo said.
"If that means that guys have to take salary cuts then so be it.
"I think that's just the reality of sticking with the same club and that's what we want to do at this stage."
Lyon said it was a great day for St Kilda, but queried Nixon's assertion the pair could have doubled their salaries elsewhere.
"That is conjecture, they've signed for what they've signed for, they're happy with it and they enjoy being at St Kilda," he said.
AAP
