Riewoldt has unsurprisingly retained the captaincy again this season, a year in which he will play his 300th game in round two and captain his 200th game in round one.

While the Saints have undergone a rebuilt list and enjoyed generational change, Riewoldt remaining as captain throughout has ensured a continuity at the top. Riewoldt said he considered whether the time was right to hand over to the next generation leader but decided it wasn't.

"I had a good post-season break to refresh and spent a lot of time thinking about whether I was still the right person for the role. I also spoke to Richo [coach Alan Richardson] about what was best for the team. In the end, I knew I still had the passion and my teammates wanted me there so I couldn't be happier or more excited," he said.

Coach Alan Richardson nominated David Armitage and Jarryn Geary as two likely captains of the club post-Riewoldt.

"I believe Jarryn Geary and David Armitage – to name two – would both make good captains and will continue to be excellent leaders for us," he said before adding that that time had not arrived yet.

"The simple fact is that Nick is an outstanding leader and captain of our club and the coaches and players agree he is the best man for the job.

"He continues to grow as a captain and still has a genuine hunger to lead – many people associated with the club believe 2015 was actually his best year in the role and I couldn't argue with that.

"Nick sets extremely high standards for both himself and the group and represents the club very professionally so is a great role model for a young, exciting list.

"We surprised a few people last year with our attitude and competitiveness and we aim to keep improving and do the same this year."