Riewoldt has booted 17 goals from five games in 2014 – the equal most of any player in the competition along with Port Adelaide's Jay Schulz.
He is clearly the highest ranked forward in the AFL according to Champion Data statistics.
So it’s fair to say the Lions’ backline will have their work cut out for them when they play the Saints in Wellington on ANZAC Day.
Schulz has already given the Lions defenders a lesson back in Round 4 with a seven goal haul at Adelaide Oval, while Jarryd Roughead (five goals in Round 1), Sam Day (four goals in Round 3), and Jack Riewoldt (four goals in Round 5) have all caused headaches at times this season.
Daniel Merrett, who returns from a two-match suspension, seems the man most likely to be given the responsibility of minding the Saints skipper, although Joel Patfull has performed the task well previously.
Head of Coaching and Development Peter Schwab said that shutting down Riewoldt would be a focus of his team ahead of ANZAC Day.
“Riewoldt’s the key. He’s the form player of the competition and the key forward we have to control,” Schwab told LIONS TV as part of the Vero Coaches’ Wrap.
“If we can get some control over his output, then that will go a long way to us containing them.”
