Willie Rioli Biography

Collingwood condemns racist messages sent to Port Adelaide forward Willie Rioli after the Pies' win over the Power.

Rioli kicked one goal from 11 disposals but is set to face scrutiny from the league's match review officer over an off-the-ball blow to opponent Nathan Murphy.

Jason Horne-Francis and Junior Rioli find a new home at Port Adelaide as part of a four-club trade.

It will see Jason Horne-Francis and Junior Rioli get their wish and join Port Adelaide, North Melbourne have picks No.2 and 3 in the draft as well as a future first-rounder, West Coast split its pick to hold the No.8 and 12 selections and the Giants rise up the board to take the No.1 pick.

A suite of other selections for this year's draft as well as next year's have also been included.

Horne-Francis has joined Port on a six-year deal until the end of 2028, while Rioli has signed a four-year deal.

Junior Rioli officially informs West Coast that he wants to move to Port Adelaide for 2023 and beyond.

West Coast have expressed their disappointment at receiving Rioli's trade request after supporting him through his two-year anti-doping ban that ruled him out of the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

"We could not have done any more to support Junior since his infraction in 2019," CEO Trevor Nisbett said. "We facilitated his appeal and subsequent return to football, so this decision is bitterly disappointing."

“We will put that disappointment to one side now and work to arrange a suitable trade for a player who has high end talent, is a premiership player and is in the prime of his career, having played just 51 games of senior football.

After having met with Port Adelaide, Junior Rioli is reportedly still undecided on his future in 2022 and beyond.

"If I could set myself up for the rest of my life, that's all I want to do," he said.

"I've been through too much in the last 18 months, so I just want to make the most of being in the industry I am now."

Port Adelaide and North Melbourne have both expressed an interest in signing West Coast forward Willie Rioli.

Rioli is reported to have a new contract offer in front of him from the Eagles but is yet to sign.

Port Adelaide signals their interest in Willie Rioli.

Rioli has been reportedly tabled a multi-year deal from the Eagles to stay at the club as he comes out of contract this year but has not been in a rush to make a decision on his future after a difficult end to his season with the death of his father Willie Rioli senior.

A hamstring injury will prevent Willie Rioli from making his AFL comeback after a two-year suspension.

"It's been a really good process for him and the club the last eight weeks. I'm really proud of what he's done and he's got complete buy-in from our players and staff," Eagles coach Adam Simpson said.

"He's back. His suspension is over, he just won't be playing this week. He's done everything he can, he just couldn't get to the line."

Willie Rioli's two-year drug ban will end on Friday and the small forward has declared himself fit to play AFL football again.

"I feel like my body is ready to go. I get nervous every game, but this will be more of a relief for me," Rioli said.

"It will probably be surreal to me. It will mean a lot, not only to me, but to my family who have been through this hard time. It will mean the world."

West Coast coach Adam Simpson predicts Willie Rioli will be keeping his tweets to a minimum after the banned goalsneak hit the headlines again last week for a social media rant.

Rioli's AFL future was still in the balance when he unleashed a foul-mouthed rant on Twitter after commentators questioned what sanction Richmond's Marlion Pickett could receive after he was reported for a high hit.

"Willie sometimes doesn't realise how much scrutiny he may be under. Trying to educate him through that is always ongoing," Simpson said.

Willie Rioli will be back training with West Coast after being spared a conviction over drug possession.

Willie Rioli avoids a conviction and has been placed on a good behaviour bond after pleading guilty to drug possession.

Northern Territory police found 24.23 grams of the drug on the West Coast star after a heavily taped package fell from his shorts during screening at Darwin airport on April 23.

Rioli, 25, appeared on Wednesday in Darwin Local Court charged with possessing a schedule 2 dangerous drug of less than a trafficable quantity.

Eagles coach Adam Simpson says he is relieved that Willie Rioli has gotten the green light to return to the AFL later in 2021.

"He's going to have plenty of time to train with the players and get reconnected with us and the club and the fans," Simpson said.

"From what I've seen he's been pretty motivated. There's been some ups and downs obviously, but I think he just wants to play football."

Willie Rioli receives a backdated two-year ban for tampering with a urine sample and will be able to play in 2021, ending 18 months of uncertainty for the talented Eagle.

Rioli will be able to return to training from June 20, 2021 and is then eligible for selection from August 20, 2021 after his ban was reduced from a maximum four years because of the 'prompt admission defence'.

"I am very relieved that this long process has now ended. The stress of waiting for the outcome over a long period of time has been difficult for me and my family,," Rioli said in a statement on the Eagles' website.

"I realise I have done wrong things and I have learned from it. I am sorry for letting people down. I am looking forward to putting all this behind me and playing footy again soon."

West Coast's Willie Rioli attends his AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal hearing via video link from Darwin to address investigations by Sport Integrity Australia regarding his tampering of samples required for a routine drug test.

However, an outcome will not be known for some time.

West Coast will offer further support to provisionally suspended forward Willie Rioli after he released a since-deleted video on Instagram declaring he's "never needed to cheat".

"Call it how you want! I'm not complaining or hiding away from my mistake! We aren't done yet I'm coming for Yous (sic) #doubters Iv (sic) never needed to cheat check my family footy resume!" Rioli wrote below the video.

Rioli trained briefly with West Coast in January but has been in Darwin and the Tiwi Islands since February.

"I understand the frustrations, but we've got to keep everything in check. It's been 11 months since his suspension took place, so he looks like he's frustrated, but probably no need for that (social media post)," West Coast coach Adam Simpson said.

"We need to get in touch somehow and see how he's going mentally, as well as physically."

Willie Rioli returns to the NT to be with his pregnant partner ahead of their child's birth.

Willie Rioli resumes training with the Eagles after being provisionally suspended for returning an adverse finding on a drug test conducted by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA).

The 24-year-old has been living with family in the Tiwi Islands since the suspension.

"It's good to be back at the club and to see my teammates and staff. The club has been really supportive over the past four months," Rioli said in a statement.

"I have been cooperating fully with the ongoing investigation and I will continue to do so. I cannot discuss any of the details. I am looking forward to getting back to some training."

It's also been alleged that Rioli tampered with a urine sample which, if proven to be true, could result in him being banned for up to four years.

Fresh from being part of Richmond's 2019 AFL premiership-winning team, Daniel Rioli dedicates his second premiership to cousin Willie Rioli, who is currently facing a drug ban.

Daniel also had his cousin's No.44 written on the tape on his wrists.

"It's pretty special. I miss him, I love him so much, he's going through some tough times. But he's surrounded by family and I'm pretty sure his eyes were glued to the TV today," Daniel said after the match.

"I dedicated my game to him today."

Willie Rioli returns a positive sample for a metabolite of cannabis in a separate ASADA test to that currently under investigation for urine substitution.

Former ASADA chief Richard Ings said because Rioli's positive cannabis sample was taken before he was notified of his alleged substitution on September 11 the cases are considered concurrent, and not consecutive, matters.

Peter Sumich raises eyebrows by claiming there may be a wider problem at the Eagles if Willie Rioli is proven to have tampered with his urine sample to conceal something sinister.

Sumich said that experience had taught him that there could be wider issues at a club if someone is caught doing something bad.

West Coach Adam Simpson was livid with Sumich's comments, especially with how he drew parallels with what happened at the Eagles during the Ben Cousins era.

"It's just disappointing that you can compare the two and automatically switch to something that happened 12 years ago," Simpson told Channel 7.

"After what we've heard initially with what has happened with Willie – it's a completely different situation.

"For someone who hasn't been at the club for 10 years – it's a bit of an insult to the people who have done all the work to create a really strong culture that's got a really good pedigree.

"It's a bit of a slap in the face to the players and the staff who have all the hard work to get the club in a position where we think we've got a really strong respected culture."

Willie Rioli apologises to friends and family for his "mistake" that has cost him his 2019 season after being provisionally suspended by ASADA for tampering with a urine test.

"Just want to thank all my real family & friends for all the love and support through this tough time!" Rioli said in a post on Facebook.

"Im so so sorry I had to put yous (sic) all through this! We will get through this!

"I'v gone through tougher times life support, depression, bullying an we've gotten through!

"Hopefully this lil mistake is a lesson to be learnt! This definitely doesn't define me as a person! I love yous all."

West Coast's Willie Rioli has been provisionally suspended in relation to an ASADA test in late August and faces a ban of up to four years. ASADA has alleged Rioli used a prohibited method to provide a sample for the test.

"The assertion is that the adverse analytical finding is that there's urine substitution," AFL general counsel Andrew Dillon said.

Eagles football boss Craig Vozzo fronted a hastily-convened press conference in Melbourne, saying the 24-year-old was 'a bit of a mess' following the revelation.

"He's very, very flat. The club and our staff are really worried about his wellbeing," Vozzo said.

"He's not in a great space and it's our job to help him as much as we can."

Media reports have suggested that a sports drink was used in place of the required urine sample.

Willie Rioli signs a two-year contract extension to remain with the Eagles until the end of 2022.

"I'm pretty stoked that the club came to me and said we want you to sign a contract extension," Rioli, currently recovering from a foot stress fracture, said.

"West Coast gave me the opportunity to be where I am today. I'm kind of grateful and just hope that we can keep the success happening."

Willie Rioli will be unavailable for multiple weeks while the Eagles get to the bottom of his foot complaint.

"He's got a stress-related foot injury. It's not a stress fracture. We've just got to give it some time to settle down. He won't be available this week and probably not next week either. We've just got to take it slow," West Coast coach Adam Simpson said.

Luke Shuey says a trimmer Willie Rioli is only beginning to realise his potential.

"He can do things most of us can't, so it's nice to sit back and watch every now and then," Shuey said about Rioli.

"Obviously there was a lot of talk about him getting himself into shape, and now I think he's starting to realise how good he can be himself, but we're seeing what getting a full pre-season into him can do for players like him."

Willie Rioli has cut a slimmer figure since returning to pre-season training and he credits his recent return home to the Tiwi Islands as playing a major part.

"The bonus up there is the heat and the humidity. That helps with my skinfolds," he said.

"The training is a lot different. I don't have green grass I can run on, so I've got to run on the rocky roads and we run to the waterholes.

"That's what me and (my cousin) Daniel (Rioli) do a lot and that's what my uncles used to do. We still do it today, run to the water holes, so that's kind of how we train up there."

Cyril Rioli congratulates his cousin Willie Rioli outside the West Coast rooms as the Eagles celebrate winning the 2018 AFL premiership.

"It was pretty emotional," Rioli said.

"He just congratulated me on the year I had and how he was happy for me.

"It's still sinking in today. It's been a long journey for me. I never thought I'd have the year I've had.

"To have this medal around my neck, it's all credit to mum and dad for that."

Willie Rioli says his famous name will be an inspiration rather than a weight on his shoulders when he steps out for this week's Grand Final as an Eagle against Collingwood.

"This year, I was just hoping to get one game. To have the season I've had and to be where we're at as a team is unbelievable," he said.

The Riolis have made a name for themselves on the finals stage and Willie Rioli gets his chance to join them when West Coast takes on Collingwood this week at Optus Stadium in their qualifying final.

"I don't really want to get overawed by the name. I really just want to go out there and play my role for the team," Rioli said.

"But then again, it is a privilege and unique experience to have our family name playing.

"I don't want to think too hard at it (the Rioli history) but it's something that's going to be there."

Willie Rioli picks up 16 touches, at 81 per cent efficiency, while booting two goals and setting up several others in a brilliant performance against Port Adelaide.

"We knew he was talented and we also knew he was aggressive, so I'm not surprised he's contributing like he is, and it looks like he's having fun as well," West Coast coach Adam Simpson said of Rioli.

"I think he's pretty settled in his role at the moment, he's a crafty forward who is really hard to play on and he can pinch-hit on-ball."

Willie Rioli signs a new two-year deal to remain at West Coast until the end of 2020.

Willie Rioli makes his AFL debut for West Coast at Docklands Stadium with 8 disposals (5 kicks and 3 handballs), 2 marks and 2 tackles in a 51-point win over the Western Bulldogs.

Lewis Jetta says Willie Rioli is set to have a breakout year for the Eagles in 2018.

"You can expect some magic. He's a freak," Jetta said about his West Coast teammate.

"He knows where the goals are and he knows how to kick a ball.

"He’s just adjusted to AFL life and all the sacrifices you’ve got to do off-field. I think he’s done that really well – the dieting and extra training.

"Even just getting up early and doing more training. He’s been elite in that area."

West Coast are hoping draftee Liam Ryan will form an exciting partnership with Willie Rioli up forward for the Eagles in 2018.

"The chemistry, especially between him and Willie, is very good," Eagles forward line coach Jaymie Graham said of Ryan.

"He's fitting in well and he's still got plenty of upside and a lot to learn, but it will be exciting to see the two of them fit and available and playing in the same team."

Willie Rioli is facing up to three months on the sidelines after confirmation he will undergo surgery on his damaged hamstring tendon.

The mature-age draftee injured his right hamstring last week and, despite jogging around the boundary and kicking at training, he is set to go under the knife.

West Coast draftee Willie Rioli boasts a bloodline of football royalty, but it wasn't until he lost some excess weight that his AFL dream became a reality.

The 21-year-old was overweight and playing with the Tiwi Bombers in Darwin a few years ago.

But after linking up with SANFL club Glenelg in time for the 2015 season, Rioli dropped a staggering 16kg to put his name in the mix for this year's AFL draft.

"I'm way quicker than what I was with the kilos," Rioli said.

"I'm longer in the game now. I guess moving to the SANFL, the first couple of weeks of training were pretty hard.

"I knew my stay at Adelaide wouldn't be long if I didn't change my weight and my diet.

"I'm grateful I did all that stuff. I knew I had talent. But (I needed) to lose all that weight and play better footy."

West Coast select Willie Rioli with pick No.52 in the 2016 National Draft.

“I didn’t think I would go so early,” Rioli said.

“I thought I would be over the 70 mark so I was a bit shocked when my name was read out.

“When I was selected (my family) all jumped with joy and I felt numb as soon as my name was read out. I didn’t move off the couch for an hour. I just sat there and tried to soak it all in.”