All the reactions to Willie Rioli’s alleged threats, AFL’s handling of the issue

The AFL has been called out for their glaring inconsistencies when handing out penalties after their ‘embarrassing’ handling of the Willie Rioli saga.

Former St Kilda star Nick Riewoldt has unloaded on the AFL for glaring inconsistencies in penalties it has handed out to players and has questioned the league’s claim that it was unaware of earlier threats made by Port Adelaide forward Willie Rioli.

Riewoldt said the league was “lacking accountability”, adding that the Rioli situation was “another embarrassment” for football boss Laura Kane.

The AFL released a statement on Monday saying it would take “no further action” on Rioli, after the Herald Sun revealed that the Power goalkicker had sent a threatening message to a teammate of Western Bulldogs defender Bailey Dale.

Riewoldt said that decision was “staggering” in itself, even before claims emerged that Rioli had made on-field threats towards opponents during two other matches this season.

Nick Riewoldt. Picture: Getty Images

Laura Kane. Picture: Getty Images

“They just went and cleared that and said, ‘It’s not our issue, it’s a club issue’ when the AFL go and stick their nose in every other issue that goes on,” Riewoldt said on Triple M on Wednesday.

“It has since emerged, which makes the AFL look even worse, that Willie Rioli is a recidivist in this area and that he has threatened…at least three players.

“It’s come to light because some journalists have done some digging. The AFL are denying they knew anything about it, which I’m calling bullsh** on because they stick their nose into everything and they know all this stuff.

“This is another embarrassment for Laura Kane, the GM of football, and the state of football from a pure football point of view.”

Riewoldt pointed to two other matters that the AFL had dealt with in relation to player behaviour since last September.

Six Greater Western Sydney players were suspended and a further seven were fined for “conduct unbecoming” after dressing up in inappropriate costumes during a private end-of-season function last September.

One player – Josh Fahey – was suspended for four matches, while five other players received two-game bans.

It was also noted that Richmond defender Noah Balta received a four-match suspension after being charged with assaulting a man outside a New South Wales pub last December.

Balta returned to play last month, three days before facing a delayed court appearance.

“Try and marry these up for me,” Riewoldt said.

Riewoldt believes the AFL are not hitting the mark with their punishments. Picture: Getty Images

“Four games for dress ups is the same suspension that Noah Balta copped for physically abusing someone in the street.

“You’ve got zero for threats, you’ve got four for dress ups and you’ve got four for physical violence in the street. Under Laura Kane, the AFL disciplinary system has become a ‘Spin the Wheel of Justice’ game show. That’s what it’s become. It is an absolute joke and it is undermining all of the great work that is happening.”

Riewoldt said the game was “flying” commercially off the field, but added the football department had multiple major issues to deal with.

“The coaches are absolutely livid with the football department of the AFL, with the way the soft cap has not bounced back to original numbers despite the rest of the game growing significantly, with the way the game is being adjudicated, with the MRO,” he said.

Originally published as All the reactions to Willie Rioli’s alleged threats, AFL’s handling of the issue