ST KILDA made a statement of sorts last weekend when it took out a pre-season competition it had never even focused on winning. But it made a far bigger statement yesterday when it announced Nick Riewoldt as its sole captain for 2008.

It spoke of a player mature and experienced enough to carry the important mantle of long-term captaincy on his shoulders alone. Of a coach in Ross Lyon now settled and confident enough in his position to go with the vision and model of leadership he wants.

And, more importantly, of a club that knows it is ready to seriously challenge for Australian football's ultimate prize, backing a superstar to withstand the associated pressures of that expectation and deliver the leadership necessary to take it all the way.

Though Lyon said yesterday he had been "really comfortable" with the co-captaincy concept, there was a sense all pre-season that he now wanted one man in the job, and that man was Riewoldt.

"We really need a clear distinction on who's leading the group, in particular, really responsible at the pointy end and under extreme pressure during matches," Lyon said.

"Nick chooses to train hard (and) consistently every session, he chooses to compete hard every minute of the game, he chooses to be courageous, he chooses to stand up under pressure. The behaviours we value around here, he models them exceptionally well. If players tend to stray, he's very good at pointing out that we need to do things a little bit better than that …"

The Saints, in a sense, had hedged their leadership bets for the past five seasons, ever since former coach Grant Thomas introduced the rotating captaincy for the 2003 season. Aaron Hamill had the job first, then Lenny Hayes, a younger Riewoldt, Luke Ball, then Hayes, Riewoldt and Ball jointly in 2007, Lyon's first year as a senior coach.

But while Thomas' innovation drew heavy criticism initially, its benefits became apparent over time, and were evident again in yesterday's announcement.

Even with Ball having let go his captaincy aspirations, Lyon had a field of legitimate candidates to choose from, including Hayes, now Riewoldt's deputy, another former skipper in Robert Harvey, Justin Koschitzke, Nick Dal Santo and Leigh Montagna.

"Back then (when the rotation was introduced), if we'd appointed just one guy, there was probably six or seven equally capable of handling the role who wouldn't have got the opportunity to develop and grow," Riewoldt acknowledged. "It was definitely the right move for club at the time, and I think we're seeing the fruits of that now."

Riewoldt believes that first captaincy stint in 2005 at the age of 22, even the broken collarbone he sustained in his first game in charge that left him in tears on the interchange bench, will help make him that much better a leader three years on.

"I was (in 2005), in football terms, probably still growing, and inexperienced," he said. "Obviously, being injured threw a spanner in the works, and having had my identity taken away as a footballer really forced me to go away and throw all my energy behind the team. I think that was really ground-breaking for me personally with my development as a leader around the club."

And now he knows with a sense of certainty he's up to the task. "I suppose I'm a figurehead for the club and I feel absolutely confident that I'm ready and that I'm capable of handling the job."

Riewoldt is driven, and as much as he admires and respects his ageless teammate Harvey, is determined not to end up in the same position.

"The last few years, he's played and continued to play every year because he wants that team success. Personally, I'd love not to be at that stage further down the track, I'd love in the next couple of years to find that ultimate success as a team, and therefore be in a position later on in your career where I suppose you're not trying to hang on for that last one."

Riewoldt cites players of the calibre of Jason Dunstall, Wayne Carey, Michael Voss and James Hird as early role models and favourites to watch. All captained their clubs, the latter trio to premierships at the ages of 25, 26 and 27 respectively.

Little wonder the blond key forward identifies with them. Riewoldt knows his time is now. And as St Kilda puts its flag credentials on the line with one man to lead it, so does his club.