Latest news with #Rioli
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Inside Richmond's flag blueprint: the hunt for the next Riewoldt and Rance
Richmond have proven most critics wrong by winning five games with five rounds to go in a season doomsayers predicted last year's wooden-spooners may not win once. The Tigers have also blooded the second-most debutants (nine), behind only injury ravaged Essendon (13). Losing top-tier talent The bulk player exits in Yze's first season at the helm, after celebrating only two victories, could have been daunting – but the coach insisted this week there was never any panic. 'You go through what we went through, and the toughest part of it was injury. Players leaving and retiring [is] part of footy,' Yze said. 'You're constantly regenerating your list, and guys are finishing and starting.' Injuries were a genuine excuse: only Carlton lost more games last year to first-choice players (167) than Richmond (155). As soon as Tigers list boss Blair Hartley knew Rioli, Bolton and Baker were leaving, he resolved to maximise the trade return and use it to make a major investment in a loaded 2024 draft that they recognised years earlier as a standout crop. Richmond's actions the previous year showed how much they loved that draft class. They made several trades, including sending Ivan Soldo to Port Adelaide and twice moving down in the 2023 draft, which resulted in them gathering future assets. Hartley then secured picks six, 10, 11, 18 and 23 for Rioli, Bolton and Baker, and engineered a separate deal with Brisbane – who were looking to stack draft selections to match father-son and academy bids – to also receive the Lions' No.20 for some of those future picks that were acquired 12 months earlier. The strategy The Tigers came no higher than ninth, and averaged a 13th-placed finish, during a difficult 11-year period between 2002 and 2012. In the early years under Hardwick, Richmond eventually played finals in each of the next three seasons before tumbling again, only for club officials to famously stick by the man who went on to lead them to three flags. That fateful decision paved the way for one of the Tigers' greatest periods – but as important were their drafting calls years earlier. After far too many recruiting missteps, and watching Hawthorn swoop on twin towers Jarryd Roughead and Lance Franklin either side of Brett Deledio and Richard Tambling in 2004, Richmond began identifying building blocks – big ones – who became an enormous part of the future success. Loading Francis Jackson's first draft as national recruiting manager in 2006 saw him select Jack Riewoldt (pick 13) and Shane Edwards (26). The next year, it was Trent Cotchin (two) and Alex Rance (18). In 2009, the Tigers snared Dustin Martin (three) and David Astbury (35) before using a pre-season draft pick on a kid from the Northern Knights, Dylan Grimes. Six of the seven played integral roles in Richmond's 2017, 2019 and 2020 premierships. Five-time All-Australian key defender Rance played in the first, but an ACL rupture cost him from featuring in the second, before his shock retirement. Four of them were important bookends. In between, they also used a top-10 pick on forward-ruck Ty Vickery, who left for the Hawks at the end of 2016 – but assembling key-position talent was a priority. Loading That strategy was front-of-mind when current list boss Blair Hartley presided over a haul of seven first-round draft picks last year. Jackson is still at the Tigers, working in the 'futures' talent market. Richmond used six of those selections, on midfielders Sam Lalor (one), Josh Smillie (seven) and Taj Hotton (12), plus key forwards Jonty Faull (14) and Harry Armstrong (23), and tall defender Luke Trainor (21). They savvily traded the seventh in a package for North Melbourne's 2025 first-rounder, which currently projects to be the No.2 pick. The Roos drafted swingman Matt Whitlock. On day two of the draft, the Tigers resisted the temptation of rival clubs' offers to pick 199-centimetre forward-ruck Tom Sims with the opening selection of the second round. Sims was their fourth draftee who stood at least 195 centimetres tall. 'We're trying to pick a premiership team, not a team to win potentially next year,' Hartley said in November. 'You look at the basis of a lot of the premiership sides, even [going] back in time with Richmond, and it was Riewoldt and Rance in '06 and '07. Building that base of talls allows them to develop as we continue to build our side over the next few years.' Differing approaches By contrast, North Melbourne opted to build from the midfield out. It is too simplistic to just compare the Roos and Tigers in this way, but their respective recruiting blueprints were at odds. Richmond entered round 20 above North on the ladder, despite the latter launching their rebuild with a massive cleanout at the end of 2020. The Kangaroos, for various reasons, have not won more than four games in any season since, whereas the Tigers are already up to five this year. 'I recall being asked before the season, 'How are you going to cope when you're not winning, or you're getting 100-point losses?' – but we can't live in that headspace,' Livingstone told The Age. 'We understand there are going to be bumps in the road with players developing their game, but we want to teach them winning habits. We want them to be able to learn how to fight through games, and how to be down by a lot against Geelong [in round 17], down at GMHBA, and then fight through and have a competitive second half. Loading 'They're the sorts of things that will set you up for long-term success.' An opposition recruiter, who spoke to this masthead on the condition of anonymity to discuss another club more freely, described the Tigers' early rebuilding efforts as 'unbelievable' – and forecast they could contend for finals again as soon as 2027, ahead of Tasmania's entry into the league. 'It's a credit to them for being brave enough to let all those guys go, then to make all those picks in one year,' the recruiter said. 'They would have known it was an average draft this year, particularly with how compromised it is, and that last year's draft was the one to do it [invest heavily]. But it's also a big credit to the coach for playing them all, and Blair's done a great job.' Richmond's ex-chief executive Brendon Gale famously made a bold but stunningly accurate prediction in 2010 that they would win three premierships by 2020. Yze and Livingstone were unwilling this week to do any such crystal-ball gazing, beyond saying they wanted to 'bounce back as quickly as we can'. 'We're not going to say, 'We should be here in two years' or three years' time',' Livingstone said. 'Our player development team is doing a wonderful job at trying to fast-track their careers and help teach these guys the winning habits that are going to take us forward sooner than we think. But putting time frames on it is not for us to worry about right now.'
The Age
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Age
Inside Richmond's flag blueprint: the hunt for the next Riewoldt and Rance
Richmond have proven most critics wrong by winning five games with five rounds to go in a season doomsayers predicted last year's wooden-spooners may not win once. The Tigers have also blooded the second-most debutants (nine), behind only injury ravaged Essendon (13). Losing top-tier talent The bulk player exits in Yze's first season at the helm, after celebrating only two victories, could have been daunting – but the coach insisted this week there was never any panic. 'You go through what we went through, and the toughest part of it was injury. Players leaving and retiring [is] part of footy,' Yze said. 'You're constantly regenerating your list, and guys are finishing and starting.' Injuries were a genuine excuse: only Carlton lost more games last year to first-choice players (167) than Richmond (155). As soon as Tigers list boss Blair Hartley knew Rioli, Bolton and Baker were leaving, he resolved to maximise the trade return and use it to make a major investment in a loaded 2024 draft that they recognised years earlier as a standout crop. Richmond's actions the previous year showed how much they loved that draft class. They made several trades, including sending Ivan Soldo to Port Adelaide and twice moving down in the 2023 draft, which resulted in them gathering future assets. Hartley then secured picks six, 10, 11, 18 and 23 for Rioli, Bolton and Baker, and engineered a separate deal with Brisbane – who were looking to stack draft selections to match father-son and academy bids – to also receive the Lions' No.20 for some of those future picks that were acquired 12 months earlier. The strategy The Tigers came no higher than ninth, and averaged a 13th-placed finish, during a difficult 11-year period between 2002 and 2012. In the early years under Hardwick, Richmond eventually played finals in each of the next three seasons before tumbling again, only for club officials to famously stick by the man who went on to lead them to three flags. That fateful decision paved the way for one of the Tigers' greatest periods – but as important were their drafting calls years earlier. After far too many recruiting missteps, and watching Hawthorn swoop on twin towers Jarryd Roughead and Lance Franklin either side of Brett Deledio and Richard Tambling in 2004, Richmond began identifying building blocks – big ones – who became an enormous part of the future success. Loading Francis Jackson's first draft as national recruiting manager in 2006 saw him select Jack Riewoldt (pick 13) and Shane Edwards (26). The next year, it was Trent Cotchin (two) and Alex Rance (18). In 2009, the Tigers snared Dustin Martin (three) and David Astbury (35) before using a pre-season draft pick on a kid from the Northern Knights, Dylan Grimes. Six of the seven played integral roles in Richmond's 2017, 2019 and 2020 premierships. Five-time All-Australian key defender Rance played in the first, but an ACL rupture cost him from featuring in the second, before his shock retirement. Four of them were important bookends. In between, they also used a top-10 pick on forward-ruck Ty Vickery, who left for the Hawks at the end of 2016 – but assembling key-position talent was a priority. Loading That strategy was front-of-mind when current list boss Blair Hartley presided over a haul of seven first-round draft picks last year. Jackson is still at the Tigers, working in the 'futures' talent market. Richmond used six of those selections, on midfielders Sam Lalor (one), Josh Smillie (seven) and Taj Hotton (12), plus key forwards Jonty Faull (14) and Harry Armstrong (23), and tall defender Luke Trainor (21). They savvily traded the seventh in a package for North Melbourne's 2025 first-rounder, which currently projects to be the No.2 pick. The Roos drafted swingman Matt Whitlock. On day two of the draft, the Tigers resisted the temptation of rival clubs' offers to pick 199-centimetre forward-ruck Tom Sims with the opening selection of the second round. Sims was their fourth draftee who stood at least 195 centimetres tall. 'We're trying to pick a premiership team, not a team to win potentially next year,' Hartley said in November. 'You look at the basis of a lot of the premiership sides, even [going] back in time with Richmond, and it was Riewoldt and Rance in '06 and '07. Building that base of talls allows them to develop as we continue to build our side over the next few years.' Differing approaches By contrast, North Melbourne opted to build from the midfield out. It is too simplistic to just compare the Roos and Tigers in this way, but their respective recruiting blueprints were at odds. Richmond entered round 20 above North on the ladder, despite the latter launching their rebuild with a massive cleanout at the end of 2020. The Kangaroos, for various reasons, have not won more than four games in any season since, whereas the Tigers are already up to five this year. 'I recall being asked before the season, 'How are you going to cope when you're not winning, or you're getting 100-point losses?' – but we can't live in that headspace,' Livingstone told The Age. 'We understand there are going to be bumps in the road with players developing their game, but we want to teach them winning habits. We want them to be able to learn how to fight through games, and how to be down by a lot against Geelong [in round 17], down at GMHBA, and then fight through and have a competitive second half. Loading 'They're the sorts of things that will set you up for long-term success.' An opposition recruiter, who spoke to this masthead on the condition of anonymity to discuss another club more freely, described the Tigers' early rebuilding efforts as 'unbelievable' – and forecast they could contend for finals again as soon as 2027, ahead of Tasmania's entry into the league. 'It's a credit to them for being brave enough to let all those guys go, then to make all those picks in one year,' the recruiter said. 'They would have known it was an average draft this year, particularly with how compromised it is, and that last year's draft was the one to do it [invest heavily]. But it's also a big credit to the coach for playing them all, and Blair's done a great job.' Richmond's ex-chief executive Brendon Gale famously made a bold but stunningly accurate prediction in 2010 that they would win three premierships by 2020. Yze and Livingstone were unwilling this week to do any such crystal-ball gazing, beyond saying they wanted to 'bounce back as quickly as we can'. 'We're not going to say, 'We should be here in two years' or three years' time',' Livingstone said. 'Our player development team is doing a wonderful job at trying to fast-track their careers and help teach these guys the winning habits that are going to take us forward sooner than we think. But putting time frames on it is not for us to worry about right now.'
Perth Now
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Suns star Rioli set for surgery in blow to finals hopes
Gold Coast will be without Daniel Rioli for the run towards finals after the star playmaker suffered a small fracture in his leg. Rioli will undergo surgery to his left fibula ahead of the QClash against the second-placed Brisbane Lions. The three-time premiership Tiger, who joined the Suns this season, could miss up to six weeks. Rioli, who injured the medial collateral ligament in his left knee during pre-season, hurt his leg in the second quarter of their eventual 61-point loss to Adelaide. Gold Coast, still chasing a maiden finals appearance, have slid to eighth on the ladder after being held goalless in the opening half by the Crows. "Scans on Monday shows that Daniel has sustained a small fracture to his fibula," Suns physiotherapist Lindsay Bull said in a club statement. "After discussing the results with Daniel, a decision was made that he will undergo an operation which will make him unavailable for selection for several weeks." Rioli joins midfielder Touk Miller (hamstring) on the sidelines. Miller, whose return-to-play timeline has been adjusted to "short-term", is expected to remain out of action for two weeks. Gold Coast could at least welcome back Sam Collins (calf) and Lachie Weller (cork) against the reigning premiers.
West Australian
19-07-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
West Coast Eagles torched in third quarter as fellow strugglers Richmond produce 49-point win at Optus Stadium
West Coast are firmly facing the prospect of a one-win season for the first time in their 39-year history after losing the battle of the cellar-dwellers to Richmond by a devastating 49 points. Against a team that some predicted wouldn't win a game for the year, the young Eagles capitulated under the pressure, while the effort and leadership of the majority of their senior players was left wanting. It resulted in a horror 16.9 (105) to 8.8 (56) defeat in front of 44,252 of their faithful at Optus Stadium on Saturday night, effectively ensuring they will claim their third-ever wooden spoon. For many, this game had long been circled as one West Coast could win as they looked to claim a morale-boosting win late in the season. The Tigers had other ideas, blowing them away in an eight-goal to one third term that many would argue resulted in their worst loss for the season. After a week in the spotlight for his style of play, No.1 draftee Harley Reid produced a commanding first half with 20 disposals, six clearances and five inside-50s as he tried to lead the Eagles to victory. Richmond coach Adem Yze decided he wasn't going to let Reid grab the four points from their grasp, sending Jack Ross to him in the second half with great success, forcing Andrew McQualter to send the 20-year-old to full-forward. Not only did Reid not get enough support from any teammates, but none stood up to fill the void in a performance that will not help them convince the talented Victorian to stay in WA. Richmond's leaders in Tim Taranto (30 disposals, seven clearances and three goals), Jacob Hopper (32 disposals, nine clearances and two goals) and Nick Vlastuin (24 disposals) belted the Eagles, who had no answer. The story of the first half was little moments rather than dominant periods of play. And it was the Tigers, led by Maurice Rioli, who were able to stand tall when the game called for an individual effort. The first big one came when Rioli produced an incredible effort to run down Brady Hough in the middle of the stadium as the Eagle went to take a third bounce and kick on goal. It resulted in the first of two consecutive goals to Taranto as the visitors went into the first break with a slender five-point lead. Rioli then produced another remarkable highlight midway through the second term when he smothered a Harry Edwards kick in defence, before toe-poking the ball to himself and setting up ruckman Toby Nankervis in an unguarded goalsquare. At this point the Tigers led by 16 points, despite early on the Eagles having the ability to lock the ball in their front half. Their midfield-forward connection was the main issue plaguing the home side, with the absence of injured forwards Jake Waterman and Oscar Allen evident. When West Coast would miss a turn the ball over inside 50, the Tigers go into a kamikaze like-attack, trying to get the ball in the hands of speedsters Rhyan Mansell (three goals) and Seth Campbell (two goals) who backed themselves to cover the turf. Still the Eagles managed to scrap enough to be within a kick leading into half-time until another moment came back to haunt them. Wingman Ryan Maric missed an easy kick to an unguarded Reid at half-back so badly that it resulted in a Hopper goal that deflated the parochial crowd leading into the main break. The Eagles needed to find a way to seize some important moments early in the second half, but they continued to struggle to stop the Tigers' ball movement from halfback. Co-captain Liam Duggan had a moment he'd like to forget when he went with a one-armed effort to try to stop Kamdyn McIntosh, who set up Jonty Faull for the first goal after half-time. Liam Ryan (two goals) showed the way when he was able to dribble a ball over the head of Richmond defender Tylar Young from deep in the right forward pocket for one of the goals of the season. It was only a momentary bit of relief for the Eagles who continued to make poor decisions under pressure. Tyler Brockman decided to kick back into defence rather than go long down the line, only to turn the ball over to Faull who kicked his second. When Tyler Sonsie kicked Richmond's fourth goal of the third term after Tyrell Dewar over-ran the ball at centre-half-back to cough up another turnover the visitors had the game under control. West Coast looked lost for answers and by the final break the Tigers had gone from a nine-point half-time lead to a 53-point advantage to ensure they would head home with the premiership points. West Coast finally strung together three consecutive goals for the first time in the match thanks to Reid's impact out of the goalsquare who kicked two of them. But the amount of effort it took to kick those goals meant they were only able to make a small dent in Richmond's lead. The Tigers finished the game strongly to not only crack 100 points for the first time this season but claim consecutive wins. RICHMOND 3.2 6.3 14.7 16.9 (105) WEST COAST 2.3 4.6 5.8 8.8 (56) GOALS – Richmond: T Taranto 3 R Mansell 3 J Faull 2 J Hopper 2 S Campbell 2 T Sims T Sonsie J Short T Nankervis. West Coast: H Reid 2 L Ryan 2 C Hall J Shanahan B Williams J Cripps. BEST – Richmond: T Taranto J Ross N Vlastuin J Hopper T Nankervis T Sonsie. West Coast: H Reid H Edwards L Duggan B Hough R Ginbey. INJURIES – Nil. UMPIRES: L Fisher J Power R O'Gorman A Heffernan. CROWD: 44,252 at Optus Stadium.
Perth Now
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Reclusive AFL great set to make shock return
AFL great Cyril Rioli will make his first public football comeback since his messy exit and prolonged absence from the game when he runs out in the reborn EJ Whitten Legends Game. After a six-year break, the charity match is returning in August with a raft of big names locked in, including Rioli and Gary Ablett Jr. Rioli, a four-time premiership player and Norm Smith Medal winner, was unveiled as the All Stars' No.1 pick on Tuesday morning. The selection of the former excitement machine is a positive sign after he was involved in a lengthy battle with his former club Hawthorn over historical claims of racism, including some levelled at his premiership coach Alastair Clarkson that were first raised in 2022. The matter involved mediation and court proceedings before being settled by the Human Rights Commission in May without a determination of the allegations. Rioli has played several matches in the Northern Territory but has lived a concealed life since his premature retirement. Another all-time great in Gary Ablett Jr was named Victoria's No.1 pick. All Stars coach Shane Crawford said he was looking for a 'bums on seats player' and found the perfect type in his former premiership teammate. 'We thought we might go with Kane Cornes when they said (Gary) Ablett Jr so we could tag him,' Crawford told SEN. 'Our No.1 pick, we want to have fun, we've gone the ultimate 'No.1 bums on seats player'. 'A player with one of the all-time great highlight reels in the history of the games and that is Cyril Rioli.' There was a report earlier this year that Rioli pondered an AFL return under coach Alastair Clarkson when he accepted the role as North Melbourne coach. Rioli's return never eventuated but he will lace up the boots at Marvel Stadium for the charity match on Thursday, August 28.
