"I'm honoured to captain St Kilda and we're all aiming to build on our pre-season momentum for a successful year," said Riewoldt.

"Captaincy is just a small part of the puzzle to achieve what we all want to achieve; it takes 40 guys contributing, and I suppose I'm just a figurehead for the club."

Saints coach Ross Lyon said the side needed a change from the co-captaincy model used in the past.

"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.