Latest news with #WillieRioli
News.com.au
29-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Top AFL executive's job cut in half in major shake-up
The AFL has announced a major shake-up of its executive following months of turmoil and fan unrest. The most significant change will see Laura Kane's role as executive general manager of football operations split in half. A second general manager of football performance is set to be appointed within weeks to help Kane with the key portfolio. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. The new 'football performance' boss will be responsible for the Match Review Officer (MRO) umpiring, game analysis, player movement, laws of the game, innovation. Footy operations, under Kane, will be responsible for operations for the AFL, AFLW, VFL, VFLW, as well as a newly formed AFL healthcare and medical team, including the league's mental health response and ongoing concussion management. Despite the shift, AFL CEO Andrew Dillon is adamant Kane maintains a 'major leadership role'. 'Laura will continue to play a major leadership role within the AFL.' Dillon said. The league has come under fire for its handling multiple sagas involving Port Adelaide's Willie Rioli and an umpiring cover-up over Collingwood Lachie Schultz's concussion. Earlier this month Dillon and Kane met with a handful of AFL coaches at a pub in Melbourne to address tension from clubs, including pleas to increase the soft cap for coaching staff. The AFL is also looking for a new chief operating officer to support CEO Andrew Dillon. Dillon has reportedly been on the lookout for a second-in-charge with Fremantle's Simon Garlick, Sydney's Tom Harley and Western Bulldogs' Ameet Bains been linked to the position. Umpiring, rule interpretations and suspensions remain a bone of contention for many fans. The AFL said in a statement: 'Following the decision to appoint a Chief Operating Officer and the recent resignation of Executive General Manager Corporate Affairs, Government and Communications Brian Walsh, Mr Dillon has taken the opportunity to restructure his Executive team. The search process for both the COO and EGM Corporate Affairs is underway. The AFL also confirmed the departure of Inclusion and Social Policy manager Tanya Hosch after almost nine years as a member of the AFL's executive team. Joining the AFL in 2016, Hosch was the first Indigenous person and second woman to join the League's executive ranks. 'Tanya has been tireless in her work to ensure that inclusion has been a part of everything we have done, from encouraging more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples into the AFL industry, to supporting clubs at all levels of our game to navigate complex social issues and create policies to reduce vilification,' Dillon said. 'We have seen the benefit of Tanya's work this year as she was a consistent advocate for and a driving force behind the Indigenous All-Stars game in Perth and her leadership resulted in the AFL attaining Gold Status in the Pride in Sport awards for the first time – both achieved after years of hard work and advocacy. 'As an industry we are indebted to Tanya for making us better.' Hosch oversaw the appointment of the first Indigenous Tribunal Member Peter Matera in 2019, and also championed the first Indigenous player statue of Nicky Winmar. She also instigated and completed a review of anti-vilification policy within the code, which was then updated and renamed the Peek Rule and advocated for the adoption of the social inclusion clause in the current broadcast deal. It comes as longtime AFL commissioner Richard Goyder reportedly seeks a three-year extension, with Collingwood president Jeff Browne and Swans chairman Andrew Pridham among the contenders for the league's top job.
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.
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Western Bulldogs AFL coach Luke Beveridge promises he'll get revenge after David Koch made a shocking remark about his team
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has accused Port Adelaide of making excuses for Willie Rioli's threatening behaviour and warned Power chairman David Koch of retribution over his sledging claim. Koch has claimed Rioli was subjected to 'cultural disrespect' from Bulldogs players during their round-eight fixture, which led to the forward striking Bailey Dale off the ball. After the game, Rioli sent a threatening message to Dale through one of his Bulldogs teammates. Rioli was initially cleared by the AFL but was later suspended for one match after it emerged he had also threatened Essendon and Geelong players on the field. Rioli did not claim he was subjected to racism, but Koch said the 29-year-old had been provoked. 'It was, if you like, cultural disrespect during the game, referring to where he had come from, community habits and things like that,' Koch told FIVEaa radio on Thursday. 'As an industry, we have to be aware of that. 'And as I have said, it's no excuse for sending a private message after the game, but it helps us understand the build-up and frustrations. 'That's where the reactions come from.' On Friday, Beveridge launched a staunch defence of his players and club when asked by reporters to respond to Koch's comments. 'I can tell you as a matter of fact that the comments weren't culturally insensitive,' Beveridge said. 'It surprises me that he (Koch) would insinuate or accuse our players of going down that track. 'Especially our football club and our people, high character, we'd never disrespect First Nations people in our language or our actions.' Beveridge accused Koch of 'enabling' Rioli and set the tone for an explosive encounter next time the clubs meet. 'I said at the time Willie's made a mistake, we'll forgive and we'll move on and he'll learn from it,' Beveridge said. 'Will he learn from it if his own club's enabling him by making excuses for him? Because it didn't happen. 'There's always a little bit of edginess in the way players talk to each other, but our players would never say anything to an Indigenous player that's culturally insensitive. 'But we won't ask for an apology, we'll just obviously remember it for next time.' Beveridge said he had not spoken to anyone from Port Adelaide about Koch's accusations and did not expect any further action from the AFL. He also backed All-Australian defender Dale. 'Bailey Dale, who wouldn't agitate a milkshake, he's an outstanding player but he's not an adversarial, front-foot type of player. He plays football,' Beveridge said. 'He wanted to move on extremely quickly because he was surprised by what had happened. 'We thought it was behind us. I'm sure the AFL feel the same, so I'm not sure why that angle has come up after the fact now. 'Maybe it's because Willie's back playing this week, I don't know.' Rioli sat out Port's defeat to Adelaide last week and will return in their clash with Geelong on Saturday. Earlier this week, Power coach Ken Hinkley said he hoped the fresh spotlight on racism in the AFL could be a watershed moment for the code. Hinkley said the Rioli case had found a positive by triggering wider, sometimes uncomfortable, conversations about AFL Indigenous issues.
