It was a massive week and a massive night for Nick Riewoldt, Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision and the Riewoldt family.

While the job won’t end until a cure for bone marrow failure is discovered, the job in raising money to find a cure and the job in raising awareness was done superbly well this week.

And on the ground, the night started perfectly. Riewoldt took a mark in the opening minute, before taking another one a minute later to put the first goal on the board.

Riewoldt took a mark in the opening minute, before taking another one a minute later to put the first goal on the board.

By the final siren, after a mighty performance on and off the field, the champion forward couldn’t be more grateful with how the second edition of Maddie’s Match was embraced by not only St Kilda, but by the game.

“We’re just so grateful. It’s been two years now; the first Maddie’s Match was so well embraced and tonight was no exception,” Riewoldt told saints.com.au after 67-point win on Saturday night.

“So not just our family, but all the other sufferers out there, the brothers, the sisters, the sons, the daughters, the parents are so grateful.

“This is an under resourced area and you can feel very lonely. But to know there were 47 and a half thousand people here tonight, particularly the Saints fans who have gotten behind us, from the bottom of our hearts thank you.”

Riewoldt, who produced another vintage performance by hauling in 12 marks and kicking three goals against Richmond superstar Alex Rance, admitted it was tough to run out and play a game of football after the build-up, but he is fortunate to have the platform to draw attention to such a special cause.

“I guess it’s tough. On one hand we’re really lucky we’ve got a platform to raise awareness and raise money. A lot of people don’t have that ability to do something positive with their grief, but we do,” he said.

“As you get more experienced you get better at being able to compartmentalise with what’s happening off the field and just concentrate with what you need to do and the job on the field.

“So it was nice we were able to have a really good result off the field with a huge crowd and all the awareness and have a win on the field as well.”