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What Is Jack Riewoldt Doing Now? Retirement & Career

Henry Jones Williams • 2026-07-09 • Reviewed by Maya Thompson

Few AFL careers have been as decorated as Jack Riewoldt’s, but the Richmond legend has never been one to rest on his laurels. Since stepping away from the game in 2023, he has traded the goal square for the commentary box, a leadership consultancy, and even a set of carpentry tools.

AFL Debut: 2008 ·
Premierships: 3 (2017, 2019, 2020) ·
Games Played: 347 ·
Goals: 787 ·
Current Role: Media commentator, speaker, leadership consultant

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact net worth — not publicly disclosed
  • Whether he will settle permanently in Tasmania or stay in Melbourne
  • Full details of future media and consulting contracts
  • Whether he will continue his carpentry business beyond renovations
3Timeline signal
4What’s next
  • Founder of Authentic Leaders Group — leadership consulting and keynote speaking
  • Renovating a holiday home in Tasmania using his carpentry certificate
  • Continued media presence on Fox Footy, Nova 100, and SEN

Eighteen seasons of data, one pattern: Jack Riewoldt’s career output puts him among Richmond’s all-time greats.

Attribute Value
Full Name Jack Riewoldt
Date of Birth 31 October 1990
Place of Birth Hobart, Tasmania
Height 195 cm
Weight 93 kg
AFL Debut 2008
Games 347
Goals 787
Premierships 3 (2017, 2019, 2020)
Coleman Medals 3 (2010, 2012, 2018)
Current Role Media commentator, speaker, leadership consultant

The implication: Riewoldt’s statistics place him in elite company — only a handful of forwards have matched his combination of longevity, goal-kicking awards, and premiership success.

What is Jack Riewoldt doing now?

Post-football career as media commentator

  • He appears weekly as a guest on Fox Footy’s AFL 360 (Wikipedia (biographical profile)).
  • He has hosted The Great Weekend (2019) and a radio hour on 1116 SEN (2020).
  • He is a regular on Nova 100 Melbourne’s Chrissie, Sam & Browny breakfast show.

Leadership consulting and speaking engagements

  • He founded Authentic Leaders Group, a leadership consultancy and keynote speaking business.
  • His Instagram bio reads “Let’s do something unreal!”, hinting at his motivational approach (Instagram (personal account)).

Renovation projects in Tasmania

  • He reportedly earned a carpentry certificate and is renovating a holiday home in Tasmania.
  • He was born in Hobart and maintains strong ties to the state.
The upshot

Riewoldt has built a three-pronged post-football career: media, consulting, and hands-on renovation. Each leverages a different skill — broadcast presence, leadership storytelling, and tradecraft — making his transition more diverse than the typical athlete-to-commentator pipeline.

The pattern: Few retired players launch a consulting firm and earn a carpentry certificate in the same window. Riewoldt’s moves suggest a deliberate effort to build a life outside football, not just an extended media lap.

Did Jack Riewoldt retire?

When did Jack Riewoldt retire?

He retired at the end of the 2023 AFL season after 347 games for Richmond. He announced his decision via an Instagram video, stating it “felt like the right time to step away” (Instagram (personal announcement)).

Why did Jack Riewoldt retire?

He cited wanting to spend more time with his growing family — his third child was born in 2023 — and to pursue opportunities in media, writing, and consulting (Richmond Football Club (club feature)).

What did he say about retirement?

In statements around his memoir The Bright Side, he said: “Writing a book is something I’ve thought about for a while, and now is the right time” and looked forward to “this new chapter of my life” (Simon & Schuster Australia (publisher release)).

Bottom line: Riewoldt’s retirement was a conscious family-and-future decision, not a forced exit. He left the game on his own terms with a clear plan for the next act.

The implication: Riewoldt’s exit strategy was carefully planned, allowing him to avoid the sudden void many athletes face.

Where does Jack Riewoldt live?

Primary residence in Melbourne

He and his family live in Melbourne during the AFL season — a base for his media roles at Fox Footy and radio appearances.

Holiday home in Tasmania

He owns a holiday home in Tasmania, which he is actively renovating using a carpentry certificate he earned.

Connection to Tasmania

Born in Hobart, Riewoldt frequently returns and has spoken of his pride in his Tasmanian roots (AFL Players Association (player profile)).

The trade-off: Melbourne offers media opportunities; Tasmania offers a slower pace and a renovation project. Riewoldt appears to be splitting his time between the two, maintaining a presence in both worlds.

Is Jack Riewoldt married?

Who is Jack Riewoldt’s wife?

He married Carly Ziegler in November 2017 in Tasmania. The couple were high school sweethearts who had been together since Year 11 (Richmond Football Club (club feature)).

How many children does he have?

They have three children: two daughters (born 2019 and 2021) and a son (born 2023).

Why this matters

Family was a stated factor in Riewoldt’s retirement timing. Having a third child during his final season accelerated his desire to step away from the 24/7 demands of professional football.

What this means: Family considerations directly influenced his decision to retire when he did.

Where did Jack Riewoldt grow up?

Birthplace and upbringing in Tasmania

Jack Riewoldt was born in Hobart, Tasmania, and grew up there. His father Chris played 298 games for Clarence in the Tasmanian Football League and is a Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame inductee (Wikipedia (family background)).

Move to Melbourne for football

He moved to Melbourne as a teenager to pursue an AFL career and attended Assumption College in Kilmore, Victoria (AFL Players Association (getting-to-know feature)).

Family ties to Nick Riewoldt

Jack is the first cousin of former St Kilda star Nick Riewoldt. The pair have been public spokespeople for Maddie’s Vision, a charity named after Nick’s sister Maddie Riewoldt, who died in 2015.

The pattern: Riewoldt’s family tree is steeped in Tasmanian football. Between his father’s state-level career and his cousin’s AFL stardom, Jack grew up in a household where footy was both heritage and expectation.

Timeline: Jack Riewoldt’s career and post-football milestones

  • 2008 – AFL debut for Richmond (Wikipedia (biographical profile))
  • 2010 – First Coleman Medal (Simon & Schuster Australia (publisher))
  • 2012 – Second Coleman Medal
  • 2017 – First AFL premiership
  • 2018 – Third Coleman Medal
  • 2019 – Second premiership
  • 2020 – Third premiership
  • 2023 – Retirement from AFL (Instagram (personal announcement))
  • 2024 – Media role at Fox Footy; launched Authentic Leaders Group; renovated Tasmanian home
Bottom line: Riewoldt’s timeline shows a classic arc — early individual awards, middle-career team success, and a planned exit that quickly transitioned into a multi-industry post-football portfolio.

The implication: Riewoldt’s career arc shows a deliberate progression from individual accolades to team success to a diversified post-football portfolio.

Clarity check: what’s confirmed vs. what’s still open

Confirmed facts

  • Retired in 2023 (Instagram (personal announcement))
  • Married to Carly, three children (Wikipedia (biographical profile))
  • Works for Fox Footy as a commentator (Richmond Football Club (club feature))
  • Memoir The Bright Side published November 2023 (Simon & Schuster Australia (publisher))

What’s still unclear

  • Exact net worth — not publicly available
  • Whether he will settle permanently in Tasmania or remain based in Melbourne
  • Full details of future media or consulting contracts beyond current roles
  • Whether he will expand his carpentry into a full-time business
  • Whether his media presence will continue beyond current network deals

The caveat: Many details of Riewoldt’s post-football life remain private or unconfirmed.

In his own words

“Let’s do something unreal!”

— Jack Riewoldt, Instagram bio (Instagram (personal account))

“It felt like the right time to step away.”

— Jack Riewoldt, on his retirement decision (Instagram (retirement announcement))

“One hit wonder.”

— Carly Riewoldt, joking about Jack’s hobbies, via Richmond Football Club feature (Richmond Football Club (club feature))

For Jack Riewoldt, the next chapter is still being written — but it’s already more layered than a simple retirement story. For Australian football fans watching his transition, the question is no longer “what could he do next?” but “what won’t he try?”

För en djupare inblick i Jack Riewoldts pensionering och familjeliv, kan man läsa om hur han balanserar mediekommentarer med renoveringsprojekt i Tasmanien.

Frequently asked questions

What is Jack Riewoldt’s net worth?

Jack Riewoldt’s exact net worth is not publicly disclosed. Estimates vary widely, and no verified financial figures are available.

How many goals did Jack Riewoldt kick in his career?

He kicked 787 goals in 347 AFL games for Richmond.

Who is Jack Riewoldt’s cousin?

His first cousin is Nick Riewoldt, former St Kilda AFL captain and Coleman Medal winner.

What is Jack Riewoldt’s podcast?

He appears regularly on Fox Footy’s AFL 360 and co-hosted a radio hour on SEN. He does not currently host a dedicated podcast, but his media appearances often generate podcast-style content via the networks he works with.

Does Jack Riewoldt have a book?

Yes, his memoir The Bright Side was published in November 2023 by Simon & Schuster Australia.

What is the Authentic Leaders Group?

A leadership consultancy and keynote speaking business founded by Jack Riewoldt after his AFL retirement.

What is Jack Riewoldt’s height?

He is 195 cm (6 ft 5 in) tall.

Where did Jack Riewoldt go to school?

He attended Assumption College in Kilmore, Victoria.

In the end, Jack Riewoldt’s post-football journey demonstrates that a successful retirement is not about stepping away from the game but about stepping into new challenges with the same determination that defined his playing career.



Henry Jones Williams

About the author

Henry Jones Williams

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