Two AFL greats stay away from Sir Doug Nicholls Round
Unless something drastic happens, two of the game's all-time Indigenous greats will remain glaring absentees from the AFL's showcase Sir Doug Nicholls Round.
Adam Goodes, Australian of the Year and two-time Brownlow Medallist, retains close ties with Sydney, but has nothing to do with AFL head office after the crowd booing that marred the end of his stellar career.
He has been eligible for induction into the Australian Football Hall of Fame for several years and appears no closer to accepting the honour.
Cyril Rioli, the 2015 Norm Smith Medallist and one of only two Indigenous players to play in four premierships, had not been sighted at Hawthorn training in Darwin on Wednesday afternoon despite a club invitation.
Rioli, who lives in the Northern Territory, is estranged from the Hawks and the league after the racism allegations that rocked the club in 2022 and led to an out-of-court settlement last year.
Sydney coach Dean Cox and Hawks counterpart Sam Mitchell, a teammate of Rioli's in those four Hawthorn premierships, were asked on Wednesday about Goodes and Rioli.
"He's had as big of an impact on this football club as any player," Cox said of Goodes.
"I think with Adam, he still spends some time coming into the footy club, which is great to see.
"Everyone knows the impact he had on the game and what he stood for, which is an unbelievable thing for someone to stand up for what they believe in, and Adam did that."
Goodes and former teammate Michael O'Loughlin run the GO Foundation Indigenous charity, which has strong links with the Swans.
But Hawthorn's efforts to renew ties with Rioli so far appear to have failed.
"I know Cyril's been invited and we'd love to see him, but it's one of those complicated situations where maybe he's not quite ready for that," Mitchell said ahead of Thursday's game against Gold Coast in Darwin.
"Maybe he is - I'm not exactly sure at this point.
"But if not, we understand there are some complications. I don't really have any more information to add to it, unfortunately."
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