Richmond players Shai Bolton, Daniel Rioli involved in nightclub fight
Patrick Dangerfield has lept to the defence of Daniel Rioli and Shai Bolton, hitting out at “d***heads” who target players during nights out.
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Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield feels sympathy for Richmond duo Shai Bolton and Daniel Rioli after their weekend nightclub brawl, saying AFL players often have to deal with “dickheads … looking for a reaction.”
Dangerfield, who is also AFL Players Association president, said players deserve the right to be able to go out and about without being harassed by members of the public.
While he said players by and large had a good relationship with the public, there was a small element who wanted to cause trouble.
“The challenges are, especially when you go out and you are letting your hair down after a stressful week, is that you are dealing with dickheads that pull out their phones at a nightclub and are just trying to film something to put on social media,” Dangerfield said on SEN.
“They are looking for a reaction. You are on a highway to nothing as a player and we had a few of our players who were at the same nightclub the boys were at.
“We have to treat our players like adults and they have to be able to go out and enjoy themselves, but you do deal with members of the general public that are out there for nothing but trouble.
“So I really sympathise with the boys because they are in a really difficult situation where something inappropriate happens to a partner, and I think (Richmond CEO) Brendon Gale said, with wiser heads you might act differently.”
Dangerfield said he wouldn’t want to see a situation where players can’t go out to nightclubs as it would drive young men away from the game.
“I think we still need to let our players live their lives,” he said. “As soon as we don’t allow players to do that, that’s the moment we will have players step away from the game because it is not enjoyable.”
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AFL TO LOOK INTO STACK, RIOLI NIGHTCLUB FIGHT
The AFL has confirmed its integrity team will “look into” the nightclub brawl involving Daniel Rioli and Shai Bolton after the players decided against pressing police charges.
The Herald Sun can reveal the league has now taken up the matter to ensure that there is no issue that requires further investigation.
AFL spokesman Jay Allan told the Herald Sun the league would look into the matter to ensure the Tigers’ version of events was correct.
Bolton broke his wrist after helping defend Rioli, who was struck when defending his girlfriend over offensive comments made by a fellow nightclub patron.
Rioli received two stitches under his eye after being struck, with Bolton then injured when he interjected.
The Tigers have not confirmed whether Bolton injured his wrist punching someone or in the scuffle that broke out.
Both CEO Brendon Gale and coach Damien Hardwick said they were not aware of the specifics of the incident.
All parties were then ushered out of the inner city venue, with Rioli and Bolton reporting the incident to Richmond on Sunday.
Bolton reported a sore wrist to the Tigers but only when he had scans on Monday was it revealed he needed surgery to repair the bone break.
The AFL only assesses incidents after police have fully resolved their inquiries.
But neither Bolton or Rioli are prepared to take the matter further or press charges.
Richmond’s Mabior Chol was at the nightclub and Geelong confirmed on Tuesday midfielder Quinton Narkle and big man Esava Ratugolea were also among a large group of AFL players from several clubs celebrating the birthday of Shai Bolton’s partner.
WHAT LED TO RIOLI, BOLTON’S NIGHTCLUB SCUFFLE
Richmond premiership player Daniel Rioli was punched in the face and star teammate Shai Bolton broke his wrist in a nightclub fight on Saturday night.
Bolton, 22, who took a contender for mark of the year against Geelong on Friday night, is expected to be sidelined for a number of weeks following the confrontation at Club YoYo in Melbourne’s CBD.
Photos taken at Richmond’s training on Tuesday morning training session show Rioli has suffered significant bruising to his right eye.
He also is bruised on the right side of his face.
Speaking at Punt Rd on Tuesday morning, Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale said he was not sure whether Shai Bolton threw a punch during the altercation that broke his wrist.
He said while the club would have preferred the pair not intervene at the nightclub on Saturday, they won’t be punished.
“There’s probably a range of options the players could have undertaken; simply walk away,” he said.
“We also understand that sometimes that’s very difficult.
“They won’t be punished.
“Sometimes it’s hard to put an old head on young shoulders.”
Mr Gale could not confirm whether police had since become involved, but said the club would support Rioli and Bolton.
“We are disappointed they found themselves in that position but we fully understand and support what they have provided and to intervene what was deemed by those guys as inappropriate conduct,” he said.
“We’ve got a pretty strong culture here based on care and connection and looking after each other.
“We’d prefer they didn’t (intervene), but that’s sometimes easier said than done.
“That required responding to conduct which they thought was absolutely inappropriate.
“They took the steps to address that.”
Richmond released a statement on Monday confirming both players had been involved in the incident.
As the back-to-back premier’s season teeters on the brink, following a thrashing at the hands of the Cats, a group of Tigers hit the town on Saturday night to celebrate Bolton’s girlfriend’s birthday.
It was during the night that a man unknown to the players allegedly verbally abused and touched Rioli’s girlfriend.
It is understood Rioli, 24, reacted by confronting the man and was hit in the face, causing a cut under his eye that needed two stitches.
Bolton then stepped in to back-up Rioli and broke his wrist in the altercation.
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said on Monday night the club was disappointed the incident occurred but stressed the Tigers would back their players.
“I can understand the fixation on our players, but I suppose from our point of view a player’s partner was put in an inappropriate situation that she didn’t feel comfortable with,” Hardwick said on Fox Footy’s AFL360.
“Daniel stood up and tried to eradicate the situation and was punched in the eye.
“I don’t condone violence, but the reality is if you put anyone in that situation and they’re going to stand up for their partner and their mates, and Shai was the same.
“It was a difficult situation, it’s not one ideally we want to be in, but the reality is we are where we are.”
Hardwick said the club had “spoken to the players at length” and Tigers bosses were satisfied there had been no wrongdoing on their part.
Rioli will play, Bolton sidelined
Hardwick said Rioli had received stitches to a facial cut but he is expected to play against GWS on Saturday night.
He said Bolton’s broken wrist occurred “just in the fracas” but he was unaware specifically how that happened.
The AFL is aware of the fight but did not comment on Monday night.
“An altercation took place after Rioli’s girlfriend was subjected to inappropriate behaviour,” Richmond said in a statement.
“Rioli was punched after confronting the patron and suffered a cut under his eye that required two stitches.
“Bolton became involved in the ensuing altercation and sustained a fractured wrist that will require surgery. He will be sidelined for the next two to three weeks.”
Richmond was made aware of the incident by the players on Sunday afternoon.
Tigers head of football Tim Livingstone then investigated the fight, speaking to several witnesses and Richmond teammates.
It is believed their version of events supported the accounts of Rioli and Bolton.
Bolton’s injury and expected time on the sidelines comes at a bad time for Richmond, which sits 4-4 after eight rounds and has a mounting casualty list.
Hardwick said the club’s midfield had been “obliterated” with Bolton joining premiership stars Shane Edwards, Trent Cotchin, Dion Prestia and Kane Lambert on the sidelines.
While it is understood neither player was drinking heavily, Richmond is no stranger to late-night controversy involving its players.
Last year Sydney Stack and Callum Jones breached the AFL’s COVID-19 protocols when they left a Gold Coast hub and became involved in an early morning fight outside a strip club.
Both players were suspended for 10 matches and Richmond was fined $100,000.
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Originally published as Richmond players Shai Bolton, Daniel Rioli involved in nightclub fight
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