Willie Rioli saga explained: What happened, who’s involved and what comes next?

Willie Rioli’s alleged threats to opposition players have created a firestorm ahead of Showdown 57. Lauren Wood explains what’s happened and what could happen next.

The Willie Rioli saga exploded after it was revealed the Power forward had allegedly threatened two other players prior to his alleged online message regarding Bailey Dale.

So what’s really happened and what’s yet to be played out?

WHO IS WILLIE RIOLI?

Willie Rioli Jr, 29, plays as a small forward for Port Adelaide. Selected with pick 52 in the 2016 draft by West Coast, he played 51 games for the Eagles before moving to the Power at the end of 2022. He has played 47 games for the Power, bringing his AFL games total to 98 games and 137 goals.

The son of Willie Rioli Snr – who played WAFL and was recruited to Hawthorn for a short period in 1990 and passed away in 2022 – Rioli Jr played in the 2018 premiership with West Coast.

Rioli has found himself in hot water. Picture: Michael Klein

WHAT HAS BEEN ALLEGED?

It was revealed by this masthead on Monday that Rioli had sent a message to a Western Bulldogs player, threatening their teammate Bailey Dale – with whom Rioli had tussled during last weekend’s game and was fined $1000 for the altercation – that he should be careful if he left the team hotel in Darwin this weekend as Rioli “had lots of friends in Darwin”.

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?

Rioli apologised to Dale and the matter was considered by both Port Adelaide – which reminded Rioli of his responsibilities around social media use – and the Western Bulldogs. The Power player avoided sanction under the league’s respect and responsibility policy, and the AFL also on Monday night said it considered the matter dealt with. Or so it thought.

Late on Tuesday, allegations of two further on-field threats of violence emerged, with this masthead revealing that Rioli had directed verbal barbs at Geelong’s Brad Close in Round 9 of last season, pointing to his head and delivering a “horrific” spray. It has also been alleged that he had an exchange with Essendon youngster Archie Roberts in Round 3 of this season.

The league was furious at the revelations, in particular with its clubs for not informing it of the additional incidents. League chief executive Andrew Dillon warned all clubs in a hook-up with chief executives to inform the AFL of any threats made to players’ safety immediately so that it is across all information.

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley postponed his weekly press conference that had been scheduled for Wednesday morning, with football boss Chris Davies facing media late on Wednesday, confirming that Rioli had met with the AFL for several hours on Wednesday afternoon.

Davies said “it hasn’t been an easy period of time for” Rioli, “but he knows he needed to front up today to answer those questions and do whatever he can to move that situation forward.

Power chairman David Koch said the club had spoken “pretty sternly” to Rioli and while the club is “incredibly angry about the situation”, said how much racial abuse that Rioli and other indigenous players had to be considered amid the scenario.

WHERE DO THINGS SIT NOW?

Willie Rioli arrived at training at Alberton on Thursday night, with the Power staging an evening session ahead of this weekend’s Showdown against Adelaide. The investigation into the matter remains ongoing as the league weighs up any potential penalty for the forward.

Power football boss Chris Davies said on Wednesday that the club was “continuing to try and support him as much as we can” and did not rule out removing Rioli from selection contention.

“If that means pulling him out the game, then we’ll do that … but the AFL might have a hand in that as well,” Davies said.

The small forward’s availability for the Showdown is now in doubt. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images

While not shying away from the matter at hand, Davies affirmed that there had to be “depth of understanding of what Willie goes through regularly”.

“This is not in any way to suggest that the text message after the game should not be addressed by the AFL … people should spend some time on educating themselves on some of the things that sit behind what Willie deals with,” he said.

“There are things that hurt Willie that are said from time to time which people don’t understand the context for him. Willie deals with a whole heap of stuff that I’m 100 per cent convinced that you and I don’t have to deal with. And that that is an ongoing issue that Willie has to deal with and he clearly has to deal with better, at various points in time … these things are constantly happening to him.”

And the club would not be turning its back on him despite suggestions his long-term career could be in jeopardy.

“We are putting our arms around Willie,” Davies said.

“He has got an issue to deal with here. But we are not going to kick him out of our club and stand him down or any period of time that would suggest he cannot be around teammates

“Whatever happens (from here), I know the best way to prolong Willie’s career, is to support him.”

Originally published as Willie Rioli saga explained: What happened, who’s involved and what comes next?