Maurice Rioli Jr.

Maurice Rioli, Jr. (born 1 September 2002) is a professional Australian rules footballer who plays for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL)

For his father, who played for Richmond and South Fremantle in the 1970s and 80s, see Maurice Rioli.

Maurice Rioli
Rioli with Richmond's VFL team in April 2021
Personal information
Nickname(s) MJ[1]
Date of birth (2002-09-01) 1 September 2002
Original team(s) St Mary's (NTFL)/Scotch College/Oakleigh Chargers
Draft No. 51, 2020 AFL draft
Debut Round 21, 2021, Richmond vs. North Melbourne, at MCG
Height 179 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 75 kg (165 lb)
Position(s) Small forward
Club information
Current club Richmond
Number 10
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2021– Richmond 27 (18)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2023 season.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Early life, junior football and state-league football

Rioli is the namesake and son of former Richmond and South Fremantle player and Australian Football Hall of Fame member Maurice Rioli.[2] He grew up in Pirlangimpi on Melville Island, among the Tiwi Islands of the Northern Territory alongside relatives including his (older) nephew and eventual Richmond player Daniel Rioli.[3][4]

He first attended high school at St John's Catholic College in Darwin.[2][5] He was the subject to significant media attention from the age of 14, owing to his famous heritage and his special draft status with each of Richmond, Fremantle and Essendon vying for his commitment, with the first two afforded priority access under the father-son rule and the third under the AFL's Next Generation Academy rules.[6] Rioli showed the strongest links to Richmond during his early teenage years, regularly visiting the club where his nephew Daniel Rioli was drafted in 2015.[5]

He represented the Northern Territory as a 14-year-old at the 2017 AFL Under-16s Championships where he was a regular goalkicker.[7][8][9] Later that year he made his senior football debut, playing for St Mary's in the Northern Territory Football League.[2]

Rioli relocated to Melbourne in early 2018 where he boarded at Scotch College.[6][10] He played football for the school that year, as well as once again representing the Territory at the Under 16s Championships.[11][12]

After another summer season with St Mary's, Rioli returned to Melbourne in 2019 where he joined the squad of the Oakleigh Chargers, though would not earn a top-flight NAB League match during that his 'underage' year.[6][13][14] Instead, he played NAB League football as part of a representative Northern Territory representative side.[15]

For a third straight season, Rioli played for St Mary's in the 2019/20 summer and into early autumn, ahead of his final year of underage football.[16][17] He played nine games in the season, with his most impressive performance coming with a best-on-ground four goals in a semi-final win, before adding one goal in St Mary's losing grand final showing the following week.[18][19][20][21] That same summer he trained with the AFL squad at Richmond as part of the club's father-son program for which he would be eligible at the coming draft.[22] Rioli intended to play school football with Scotch and with Oakleigh in the NAB League that year, but ultimately each league's season was cancelled along with the AFL Under 18 Championships as a result of public health restrictions imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[23][24][25]

AFL recruitment

In September 2020, Rioli was one of 96 players invited to the AFL Draft Combine.[26][27] Around this time he confirmed years of informal commitment, nominating for selection to Richmond under the father-son rule.[28][29][30]

Prior to the draft, Rioli was forecast to land with Richmond at pick 47 and 52 by Fox Footy and ESPN in their respective phantom drafts.[31][32] He was noted for his tackling ability, goal-sense and sprint speed.[6]

AFL career

2021 season
Maurice Rioli kicks (2) 16.04.21

Rioli was drafted by Richmond with the club's second pick and the 51st selection overall in the 2020 AFL national draft, after using its father-son rule rule rights to match a bid from Essendon.[33][1]

He first represented Richmond as part of the club's reserves side, featuring in VFL pre-season matches from February through April when the season officially began.[34][35][36] Rioli impressed over that time, first earning a place as a non-playing emergency in the club's round 5 AFL match against St Kilda.[37] Though he went unselected in the final team, he was a stand-out performer at reserves level, kicking two goals and recording 17 disposals in the opening round of the VFL season that same weekend.[38][39] He was an AFL emergency regularly over the month that followed, while continuing to play VFL football as a small forward with occasional stints in the midfield.[40][41] In May, Richmond senior coach Damien Hardwick labelled Rioli close to AFL selection, but said he would require a stronger endurance base before he could be named for a debut.[42] Through the first week of July, he ranked second among midfield-forwards in the VFL with 5.8 tackles per game and was in contention for the league's goal of the year award with a 90-metre sprint goal against the Northern Bullants.[43][44] Following an eight-tackle game against Frankston in early August, Rioli was elevated to senior level and named to make his AFL debut in a round 21 match against North Melbourne.[45][46]

Player profile

Rioli plays primarily as a defensive small forward and is notable for his ability to apply forward-half pressure and create turnovers among opposition defenders.[47]

Statistics

Updated to the end of round 4, 2023.[48]

Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2021 Richmond49220729141.00.03.51.04.50.52.0
2022Richmond49 15147764612230410.90.45.03.08.12.02.7
2023Richmond10 32018624370.60.06.02.08.01.02.3
Career 20 18 7 101 54 155 34 52 0.9 0.3 5.0 2.7 7.7 1.7 2.6

Personal life

He is the sixth in the Rioli family to play in the AFL, following his father Maurice, cousin Dean, cousin Cyril, nephew Daniel and cousin Willie.[49][50]

References
  1. Gleeson, Michael (10 December 2020). "In the name of the father: Maurice Rioli jnr arrives at Richmond". The Age. Nine Entertainment Co. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  2. Salemme, Kate (29 October 2017). "Maurice Rioli Jr, son of Richmond legend Maurice Rioli, impressing as a junior and already has 'Rioli' traits". The Australian. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  3. Damnjanovi, Dijana (7 October 2018). "Meet the Riolis — a football family dynasty making AFL premiership history". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  4. Toohey, Paul (10 October 2015). "Tiwi Islands community Pirlangimpi has produced three Norm Smith Medallists". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  5. Cunningham, Matt (27 September 2017). "Darwin's St John's Catholic College has produced five Norm Smith medallists". NT News. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  6. "Maurice Rioli Jnr". Aussie Rules Draft Central. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  7. "2017 NAB AFL U16 Championships: round 2-3 results and MVPs". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. 24 July 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  8. "Queensland claims Under 16s Championships Division Two with undefeated carnival". Aussie Rules Draft Central. 28 July 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  9. Pierik, Jon (12 June 2017). "Maurice Rioli junior shapes as a father-son prospect for Richmond Tigers". The Age. Nine Entertainment Co. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  10. McGowan, Marc (7 February 2018). "Another Rioli follows Cyril's path to the AFL". AFL Media. Telstra Media. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  11. McGowan, Marc (9 June 2018). "Two Riolis and a Long to play for NT under-16s". AFL Media. Telstra Media. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  12. Goller, James (25 May 2018). "Mid-Season Review: 2018 APS season". Aussie Rules Draft Central. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  13. Alvaro, Michael (5 December 2018). "Weekend wash-up: NTFL – Round 9". Aussie Rules Draft Central. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  14. Alvaro, Michael (12 October 2018). "Weekend previews: NTFL – Round 2". Aussie Rules Draft Central. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  15. Williams, Peter (29 March 2019). "NAB League season previews: Northern Academies". Aussie Rules Draft Central. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  16. Culpitt, Amy (1 December 2019). "The Rioli family plays their 1,000th game with St Mary's Football Club in the Northern Territory Football League". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  17. Alvaro, Michael (29 November 2019). "NTFL Men's Premier League preview: Round 9 – Race for fifth hots up on super Saturday". Aussie Rules Draft Central. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  18. Alvaro, Michael (24 March 2020). "2019/2020 NTFL Men's Premier League team review: St Mary's". Aussie Rules Draft Central. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  19. Vivian, Steve (14 March 2020). "Maurice Rioli Jr could soon be at the Richmond Tigers — and nothing would make more sense". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  20. Cleary, Mitch (2 March 2020). "WATCH: Father-son prospect Rioli dazzles with four goals". AFL Media. Telstra Media. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  21. Alvaro, Michael (16 March 2020). "NTFL Men's Premier League wrap – Melville boots Tigers to back-to-back flags". Aussie Rules Draft Central. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  22. Ralph, Jon (12 December 2019). "Richmond spoiled for choice to replace Brandon Ellis as Maurice Rioli Jr joins Tigers stars at training". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  23. Slevison, Andrew (12 March 2020). "KEEPING A LID ON THE HYPE SURROUNDING MAURICE RIOLI JNR". SEN. Sports Entertainment Group. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  24. Williams, Peter (23 March 2020). "The next Rioli? Maurice Jnr making noise across two states". Aussie Rules Draft Central. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  25. Beveridge, Riley (19 August 2020). "NAB League guns we won't see: Vic Metro's hottest prospects". AFL Media. Telstra Media. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  26. Williams, Peter (3 September 2020). "Dragons, Falcons lead the way as AFL announces 2020 Draft Combine list". Aussie Rules Draft Central. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  27. Balmer, Matt (4 September 2020). "Draft Combine: Tigers father-son prospect headlines list of 96 players invited". Fox Sports. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  28. McArdle, Jordan (15 November 2018). "AFL draft 2020: Maurice Rioli Jr set to choose Richmond over Fremantle". Fox Sports. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  29. McArdle, Jordan (15 November 2018). "Maurice Rioli Jr set to choose Richmond over Fremantle". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  30. Hope, Shayne (17 November 2020). "The legacy continues: Tigers to sign son of Hall of Fame great". AFL Media. AAP. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  31. Balmer, Matt (9 December 2020). "Full AFL phantom draft: Every pick by every club predicted by our draft expert". Fox Sports. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  32. Doerre, Chris (9 December 2020). "Every club, every pick: ESPN's full AFL phantom draft". ESPN. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  33. "Maurice Rioli Jnr becomes a Tiger". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. 9 December 2020. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  34. Mann, Brenton (29 March 2021). "VFL Tigers come back to defeat Box Hill". Richmond FC. AFL Media. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  35. Ralph, Jon (3 March 2021). "AFL 2021: The draftees set to debut in Round 1 for your KFC SuperCoach team". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  36. "Tigers name new-look VFL squad". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. 15 April 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  37. "Premiership pair return to face the Saints". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. 14 April 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  38. Alvaro, Michael (22 April 2021). "2021 VFL: Round 1 Draftee Focus – Tigers pair push for early debuts". Aussie Rules Draft Central. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  39. Beveridge, Riley (19 April 2021). "'He just tackles, tackles, tackles': Son of Tigers great on cusp of shock debut". AFL Media. Telstra Media. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  40. "VFL Report: Round 2". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. 28 April 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  41. Mann, Brenton (4 April 2021). "VFL Tigers overrun Magpies to reign in the heat". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  42. Ralph, Jon (14 May 2021). "AFL 2021: Richmond coach Damien Hardwick backs Daniel Rioli, Shai Bolton over club brawl". The Australian. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  43. Waterworth, Ben (3 July 2021). "Here's a reason to smile Tiger fans: Maurice Rioli Jnr's breathtaking VFL goal". Fox Sports. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  44. Landsberger, Sam; Ralph, Jon (9 July 2021). "AFL 2021: Damien Hardwick believes Tigers remain in flag window but 'circle of life' is a challenge". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  45. "Maurice Rioli Jnr to make senior debut". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. 5 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  46. "VFL Report: Round 16". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. 4 August 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  47. "The lowdown on Maurice Rioli Jr". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. 12 December 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  48. "Maurice Rioli Jr". AFL Tables. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  49. McArdle, Jordan (2 July 2017). "Son of late South Fremantle, Richmond champion Maurice Rioli's promising start at AFL under-16 championships". Perth Now. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  50. Browne, Ashley; Collins, Ben (27 May 2017). "Aboriginal football's first family". AFL Media. Telstra Media. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
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