Latest news with #Rioli
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Sam Mitchell goes public with sad new revelation about former Hawthorn teammate
Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell says he didn't catch up with Cyril Rioli in Darwin recently and has had very little contact with his estranged former teammate. The pair won four AFL premierships together at Hawthorn but Rioli has distanced himself from the club and many of his former teammates after making racism allegations surrounding his time at the Hawks. The 35-year-old was conspicuously absent for Hawthorn's centenary celebrations at the MCG in May, despite dozens of his former teammates taking part. However, there were signs that Rioli was ready to start mending bridges with his former club after being spotted catching up with Hawthorn legend Luke Hodge before the Hawks' round 10 clash with the Suns in Darwin three weeks ago. Rioli lives in Darwin but declined an invitation to attend Hawthorn's training session before the game against Gold Coast. However, his surprise appearance at the round 10 fixture between the Suns and Hawks left the AFL community pleased to see Rioli associating with Hawthorn again. One man that didn't get the chance to catch up with Rioli though is Hawthorn coach Mitchell, who says the former Norm Smith Medallist will always be welcome back at the club that he achieved so much at. Speaking on Seven's The Agenda Setters, Mitchell acknowledged that it was a 'complicated' situation for Rioli says he's ready to catch up whenever his former teammate feels ready. "I didn't run into him in Darwin and I haven't reached out to him of that close a nature," Mitchell said. "He knows that he would be welcome back at Hawthorn if he wants to but it's obviously a complicated part of his life and whether he wants to come back. "If he does that would be great but like every club there are players that absolutely bleed the colours for the rest of their lives and there are players that maybe aren't that happy with things that happened at a club. And (with) Cyril, I'm always willing to chat if he wants to." "He (Cyril) knows that he would be welcome back at Hawthorn if he ever wants to."🗣️ Sam Mitchell on Cyril Rioli — 7AFL (@7AFL) June 3, 2025 Rioli's recent catch-up with Hodge delighted the AFL community after the former Hawks captain revealed he hadn't been able to contact Rioli for a number of years. And it prompted moves from Hawthorn president Andy Gowers behind the scenes to bring some of the former players together after recent events. In November last year, Hawthorn settled a federal court case with past First Nations players and their families, and issued an apology. Rioli was among a group of players who alleged they were racially vilified during their time at the club, and the case was settled without a determination of any of the parties' allegations. And Rioli's no-show at Hawthorn's centenary celebrations last month suggested he's ready to return to his former club. A number of Hawthorn Hawks and premiership winners paraded the club's 13 cups on the ground before the big round eight win over Richmond but Rioli was nowhere to be seen. "When you go through so much with a lot of guys, you want to see all their faces," Hodge said at the time. "We understand that Hawthorn and Cyril haven't come to the stage where Cyril feels comfortable back in the football club just yet. But time heals all wounds and we're hoping it gets to that stage with Cyril."
The Advertiser
23-05-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
'Everything happens for a reason': Rioli ahead of 100th
Saying "everything happens for a reason", Willie Rioli is proud to reach 100 AFL games in the Sir Doug Nicholls Round. "If I do start to get dementia or something, for some reason, I will remember this game," Port Adelaide's Indigenous small forward said with a shy smile. Rioli, 29, will reach the milestone on Saturday night, against Fremantle in Perth, after a tumultuous few weeks. First there was Port's Gather Round grudge match against Hawthorn last month and Rioli's fiery social media post that followed. Then came the game against the Western Bulldogs and his fine for striking Bailey Dale, followed by the revelation he had sent a threatening post-game message to one of Dale's teammates. That in turn exploded into more controversy, with a widely criticised AFL investigation, two previous on-field threats to opponents made public, eventually a one-game suspension for Rioli and warnings from Port about racism in the game. Port released an in-club video interview with Rioli on Friday and those matters were not broached, but the softly-spoken goalsneak was very mindful of where his football has brought him. "I always say everything happens for a reason and I'm kind-of grateful it landed on this day," Rioli said of reaching 100 games in the AFL's showcase Indigenous round. "Obviously I'm a proud, proud cultural boy and something I carry really close to my heart is playing for everyone back home, every Indigenous kid who feels like the AFL is a long way from them." Rioli also spoke of his father, Willie Snr, a Northern Territory football great and a key member of the game's famous Rioli-Long dynasty. Rioli Snr died in 2022 and Willie said their last conversation came as he was about to return from the drugs controversies that nearly wrecked his career. "When I knew I was coming back (to football), my Dad said to me 'son, everyone knows you can play the game, it's how you conduct yourself outside of football, it's how you're going to change your image'," he said. Rioli's father impressed on him the need to give back to fans. "You just never know what they might be going through outside of football - just a 'hello' and a friendly chat might change their whole life, their whole perspective or their whole day," he said. Rioli was a premiership player at West Coast in his debut 2018 season and he played 51 games for the Eagles. But first he was banned for substituting urine during two separate anti-doping tests, and he was in the spotlight again in 2021 when he was caught in possession of marijuana at Darwin airport, leading to him being placed on a good behaviour bond. The Eagles were disappointed when he sought a trade to Port after the 2022 season, which he said on Friday was to be closer to family. Rioli said he will be forever grateful to West Coast for his AFL opportunity. "My Dad always says to me, 'son, you're a product of your environment', so everywhere you go ... you learn and pick up certain stuff, certain ways, certain attributes, certain beliefs," he said. "That club has certainly shaped me into the person I am today. I still have a great relationship with a lot of my premiership teammates." He said the move to Port made him think about what he could still do in the AFL and he praised the Power for their work in the Indigenous community. "My biggest thing, when I got back to footy, was how long I have left to play. That was something I looked at - really, just to get to 100 games and then see where we go from there," he said. Saying "everything happens for a reason", Willie Rioli is proud to reach 100 AFL games in the Sir Doug Nicholls Round. "If I do start to get dementia or something, for some reason, I will remember this game," Port Adelaide's Indigenous small forward said with a shy smile. Rioli, 29, will reach the milestone on Saturday night, against Fremantle in Perth, after a tumultuous few weeks. First there was Port's Gather Round grudge match against Hawthorn last month and Rioli's fiery social media post that followed. Then came the game against the Western Bulldogs and his fine for striking Bailey Dale, followed by the revelation he had sent a threatening post-game message to one of Dale's teammates. That in turn exploded into more controversy, with a widely criticised AFL investigation, two previous on-field threats to opponents made public, eventually a one-game suspension for Rioli and warnings from Port about racism in the game. Port released an in-club video interview with Rioli on Friday and those matters were not broached, but the softly-spoken goalsneak was very mindful of where his football has brought him. "I always say everything happens for a reason and I'm kind-of grateful it landed on this day," Rioli said of reaching 100 games in the AFL's showcase Indigenous round. "Obviously I'm a proud, proud cultural boy and something I carry really close to my heart is playing for everyone back home, every Indigenous kid who feels like the AFL is a long way from them." Rioli also spoke of his father, Willie Snr, a Northern Territory football great and a key member of the game's famous Rioli-Long dynasty. Rioli Snr died in 2022 and Willie said their last conversation came as he was about to return from the drugs controversies that nearly wrecked his career. "When I knew I was coming back (to football), my Dad said to me 'son, everyone knows you can play the game, it's how you conduct yourself outside of football, it's how you're going to change your image'," he said. Rioli's father impressed on him the need to give back to fans. "You just never know what they might be going through outside of football - just a 'hello' and a friendly chat might change their whole life, their whole perspective or their whole day," he said. Rioli was a premiership player at West Coast in his debut 2018 season and he played 51 games for the Eagles. But first he was banned for substituting urine during two separate anti-doping tests, and he was in the spotlight again in 2021 when he was caught in possession of marijuana at Darwin airport, leading to him being placed on a good behaviour bond. The Eagles were disappointed when he sought a trade to Port after the 2022 season, which he said on Friday was to be closer to family. Rioli said he will be forever grateful to West Coast for his AFL opportunity. "My Dad always says to me, 'son, you're a product of your environment', so everywhere you go ... you learn and pick up certain stuff, certain ways, certain attributes, certain beliefs," he said. "That club has certainly shaped me into the person I am today. I still have a great relationship with a lot of my premiership teammates." He said the move to Port made him think about what he could still do in the AFL and he praised the Power for their work in the Indigenous community. "My biggest thing, when I got back to footy, was how long I have left to play. That was something I looked at - really, just to get to 100 games and then see where we go from there," he said. Saying "everything happens for a reason", Willie Rioli is proud to reach 100 AFL games in the Sir Doug Nicholls Round. "If I do start to get dementia or something, for some reason, I will remember this game," Port Adelaide's Indigenous small forward said with a shy smile. Rioli, 29, will reach the milestone on Saturday night, against Fremantle in Perth, after a tumultuous few weeks. First there was Port's Gather Round grudge match against Hawthorn last month and Rioli's fiery social media post that followed. Then came the game against the Western Bulldogs and his fine for striking Bailey Dale, followed by the revelation he had sent a threatening post-game message to one of Dale's teammates. That in turn exploded into more controversy, with a widely criticised AFL investigation, two previous on-field threats to opponents made public, eventually a one-game suspension for Rioli and warnings from Port about racism in the game. Port released an in-club video interview with Rioli on Friday and those matters were not broached, but the softly-spoken goalsneak was very mindful of where his football has brought him. "I always say everything happens for a reason and I'm kind-of grateful it landed on this day," Rioli said of reaching 100 games in the AFL's showcase Indigenous round. "Obviously I'm a proud, proud cultural boy and something I carry really close to my heart is playing for everyone back home, every Indigenous kid who feels like the AFL is a long way from them." Rioli also spoke of his father, Willie Snr, a Northern Territory football great and a key member of the game's famous Rioli-Long dynasty. Rioli Snr died in 2022 and Willie said their last conversation came as he was about to return from the drugs controversies that nearly wrecked his career. "When I knew I was coming back (to football), my Dad said to me 'son, everyone knows you can play the game, it's how you conduct yourself outside of football, it's how you're going to change your image'," he said. Rioli's father impressed on him the need to give back to fans. "You just never know what they might be going through outside of football - just a 'hello' and a friendly chat might change their whole life, their whole perspective or their whole day," he said. Rioli was a premiership player at West Coast in his debut 2018 season and he played 51 games for the Eagles. But first he was banned for substituting urine during two separate anti-doping tests, and he was in the spotlight again in 2021 when he was caught in possession of marijuana at Darwin airport, leading to him being placed on a good behaviour bond. The Eagles were disappointed when he sought a trade to Port after the 2022 season, which he said on Friday was to be closer to family. Rioli said he will be forever grateful to West Coast for his AFL opportunity. "My Dad always says to me, 'son, you're a product of your environment', so everywhere you go ... you learn and pick up certain stuff, certain ways, certain attributes, certain beliefs," he said. "That club has certainly shaped me into the person I am today. I still have a great relationship with a lot of my premiership teammates." He said the move to Port made him think about what he could still do in the AFL and he praised the Power for their work in the Indigenous community. "My biggest thing, when I got back to footy, was how long I have left to play. That was something I looked at - really, just to get to 100 games and then see where we go from there," he said.
West Australian
23-05-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
'Everything happens for a reason': Rioli ahead of 100th
Saying "everything happens for a reason", Willie Rioli is proud to reach 100 AFL games in the Sir Doug Nicholls Round. "If I do start to get dementia or something, for some reason, I will remember this game," Port Adelaide's Indigenous small forward said with a shy smile. Rioli, 29, will reach the milestone on Saturday night, against Fremantle in Perth, after a tumultuous few weeks. First there was Port's Gather Round grudge match against Hawthorn last month and Rioli's fiery social media post that followed. Then came the game against the Western Bulldogs and his fine for striking Bailey Dale, followed by the revelation he had sent a threatening post-game message to one of Dale's teammates. That in turn exploded into more controversy, with a widely criticised AFL investigation, two previous on-field threats to opponents made public, eventually a one-game suspension for Rioli and warnings from Port about racism in the game. Port released an in-club video interview with Rioli on Friday and those matters were not broached, but the softly-spoken goalsneak was very mindful of where his football has brought him. "I always say everything happens for a reason and I'm kind-of grateful it landed on this day," Rioli said of reaching 100 games in the AFL's showcase Indigenous round. "Obviously I'm a proud, proud cultural boy and something I carry really close to my heart is playing for everyone back home, every Indigenous kid who feels like the AFL is a long way from them." Rioli also spoke of his father, Willie Snr, a Northern Territory football great and a key member of the game's famous Rioli-Long dynasty. Rioli Snr died in 2022 and Willie said their last conversation came as he was about to return from the drugs controversies that nearly wrecked his career. "When I knew I was coming back (to football), my Dad said to me 'son, everyone knows you can play the game, it's how you conduct yourself outside of football, it's how you're going to change your image'," he said. Rioli's father impressed on him the need to give back to fans. "You just never know what they might be going through outside of football - just a 'hello' and a friendly chat might change their whole life, their whole perspective or their whole day," he said. Rioli was a premiership player at West Coast in his debut 2018 season and he played 51 games for the Eagles. But first he was banned for substituting urine during two separate anti-doping tests, and he was in the spotlight again in 2021 when he was caught in possession of marijuana at Darwin airport, leading to him being placed on a good behaviour bond. The Eagles were disappointed when he sought a trade to Port after the 2022 season, which he said on Friday was to be closer to family. Rioli said he will be forever grateful to West Coast for his AFL opportunity. "My Dad always says to me, 'son, you're a product of your environment', so everywhere you go ... you learn and pick up certain stuff, certain ways, certain attributes, certain beliefs," he said. "That club has certainly shaped me into the person I am today. I still have a great relationship with a lot of my premiership teammates." He said the move to Port made him think about what he could still do in the AFL and he praised the Power for their work in the Indigenous community. "My biggest thing, when I got back to footy, was how long I have left to play. That was something I looked at - really, just to get to 100 games and then see where we go from there," he said.
Perth Now
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
'Everything happens for a reason': Rioli ahead of 100th
Saying "everything happens for a reason", Willie Rioli is proud to reach 100 AFL games in the Sir Doug Nicholls Round. "If I do start to get dementia or something, for some reason, I will remember this game," Port Adelaide's Indigenous small forward said with a shy smile. Rioli, 29, will reach the milestone on Saturday night, against Fremantle in Perth, after a tumultuous few weeks. First there was Port's Gather Round grudge match against Hawthorn last month and Rioli's fiery social media post that followed. Then came the game against the Western Bulldogs and his fine for striking Bailey Dale, followed by the revelation he had sent a threatening post-game message to one of Dale's teammates. That in turn exploded into more controversy, with a widely criticised AFL investigation, two previous on-field threats to opponents made public, eventually a one-game suspension for Rioli and warnings from Port about racism in the game. Port released an in-club video interview with Rioli on Friday and those matters were not broached, but the softly-spoken goalsneak was very mindful of where his football has brought him. "I always say everything happens for a reason and I'm kind-of grateful it landed on this day," Rioli said of reaching 100 games in the AFL's showcase Indigenous round. "Obviously I'm a proud, proud cultural boy and something I carry really close to my heart is playing for everyone back home, every Indigenous kid who feels like the AFL is a long way from them." Rioli also spoke of his father, Willie Snr, a Northern Territory football great and a key member of the game's famous Rioli-Long dynasty. Rioli Snr died in 2022 and Willie said their last conversation came as he was about to return from the drugs controversies that nearly wrecked his career. "When I knew I was coming back (to football), my Dad said to me 'son, everyone knows you can play the game, it's how you conduct yourself outside of football, it's how you're going to change your image'," he said. Rioli's father impressed on him the need to give back to fans. "You just never know what they might be going through outside of football - just a 'hello' and a friendly chat might change their whole life, their whole perspective or their whole day," he said. Rioli was a premiership player at West Coast in his debut 2018 season and he played 51 games for the Eagles. But first he was banned for substituting urine during two separate anti-doping tests, and he was in the spotlight again in 2021 when he was caught in possession of marijuana at Darwin airport, leading to him being placed on a good behaviour bond. The Eagles were disappointed when he sought a trade to Port after the 2022 season, which he said on Friday was to be closer to family. Rioli said he will be forever grateful to West Coast for his AFL opportunity. "My Dad always says to me, 'son, you're a product of your environment', so everywhere you go ... you learn and pick up certain stuff, certain ways, certain attributes, certain beliefs," he said. "That club has certainly shaped me into the person I am today. I still have a great relationship with a lot of my premiership teammates." He said the move to Port made him think about what he could still do in the AFL and he praised the Power for their work in the Indigenous community. "My biggest thing, when I got back to footy, was how long I have left to play. That was something I looked at - really, just to get to 100 games and then see where we go from there," he said.
West Australian
19-05-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
GEORGIE PARKER: AFL fans want consistency from Andrew Dillon, Laura Kane after several poorly handled dramas
Andrew Dillon and Laura Kane desperately need a win. There is no denying they are both smart operators with and a strong work ethic, but the question marks that have been over their head since day one are starting to get bigger due to what can only appear to be a lack of leadership after a string of rushed decisions and poorly phrased comments, and AFL fans are coming for them. Unfortunately, this is what you get when you are in a high-profile and high paying job, but it's getting to the point where no matter the decision, even if it's air-tight, the fans won't buy in, which is a dangerous place to be. They need a win, but until they get one, they need to have more consistency, which is what AFL fans are crying out for and believe is not that hard to achieve. They are embroiled in three ongoing controversies — the fallout from the Willie Rioli suspension and the broader issue of racism in the game; the performance of umpires on the field; and the rules around dangerous contact, which have seen several players banned because a player was concussed when they were performing what many regard as a 'football act' with no intended malice. AFL CEO Dillon has called on all the clubs to unite in an industry-wide fight against racism. His call to arms comes after an ugly spat between Port Adelaide and the Bulldogs over Rioli last week. Port chairman David Koch said Rioli had been provoked into striking Bulldog Bailey Daile and sending a threatening message about him to a Bulldogs teammate by 'culturally disrespectful' comments. Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge hit back that the Power had enabled Rioli to behave poorly after it emerged, he had also threatened two other players during games this season and last. All of this came as the AFL was promoting the Sir Doug Nicholls Round to celebrate Indigenous footballers and culture. The AFL needs consistency in the how players are dealt with off the field and on it. It needs consistency in umpiring, from the clear black and white interpretation of rules like hand balling to the subjective nature of rules like insufficient intent. It needs consistency in marrying its emphasis on player safety with decisions at the tribunal to what umpires do on the field when a player is seriously injured. The miscommunication about the Lachie Schultz concussion issue and what the umpires saw and what they say they saw ended up being highly embarrassing for executive general manager of football Laura Kane, who had to issue multiple statements on the fiasco as more information was leaked. We need consistency from the AFL operated AFL Review Centre and, most importantly, consistency in the messaging from those making the decisions. It seems the only consistency we have as a league is that nothing is consistent. What's right one week is wrong the next, and vice versa with the lack of transparency from the spokespeople deepening with every press conference. I feel for Kane. She's not only young for such a complex role, but she also has the added pressure of being a female in sport. Being female is another target on your back with people waiting for a mistake to be made and your every decision questioned. Politics isn't only played in Canberra. The AFL has its own bearpit of political manoeuvring at AFL HQ that seems to be getting more intense as the weeks go on. It will be interesting to see how it plays out for the rest of the year.
