AFL TV Wrap: Cyril Rioli invited to Hawthorn training, calls for elite umpiring changes

Will Cyril Rioli ever re-enter the fold at Hawthorn? And is the standard of umpiring going to get better without ‘elite’ standards? Check out the full wrap of Tuesday’s footy shows here.

Will Cyril Rioli ever re-enter the fold at Hawthorn? And is the standard of umpiring going to get better without “elite” standards?

There was plenty happening on Tuesday night’s TV shows, and we have packaged the best bits for you here.

Midweek Tackle

Hawthorn’s attempts to break bread with premiership star Cyril Rioli looks like it will continue, with Jon Ralph reporting the club has reached out to the 2015 Norm Smith Medallist.

Rioli has not returned to the club he played 198 games for, instead living in Darwin and remaining removed from AFL circles.

Cyril Rioli with Jabiru Bombers coach Kingsley Whitehurst as the side beat the Banks Bulldogs in the NTFL Division 1 final. Picture: David Bradley

But with the Hawks travelling to the Top End to face Gold Coast, Ralph says the club reached out to Rioli to invite him back into the fold.

“They have asked him to a training session, as well as all their past players (Wednesday), they don’t expect that he will be there,” he said on Midweek Tackle.

“His premiership teammates aren’t really able to get into contact with him, even luminaries like Michael Long, Indigenous stars like him really can’t really help him in any way.

“He did attend the Indigenous All Stars game and as (Michael) O’Loughlin said he feels so burnt, so let down, he says there’s serious hard work… to be done there.”

Rioli is not expected to return to Hawthorn training on Wednesday, despite receiving an invitation from the club. Picture: Michael Willson

AFL 360

Ray Chamberlain says the standard of AFL umpiring could be better in 2025, but he does not think it will improve without greater investment from the league.

Calls for transitioning umpiring into a full-time professional career are growing stronger, but Chamberlain said elite frameworks would be enough to improve the standards.

“I do agree more time, I don’t think full time is necessarily the right term,” he said on AFL 360.

“I think the game demands and deserves elite. So it’s got to be enough time, enough resources, to equate to elite performance, elite preparations, elite recovery.

“So Patrick Dangerfield goes to Geelong after killing it on the weekend, and he’ll have physio and he’ll have osteo and he’ll have doctors and he’ll review and he’ll have massage and pilates, and it’ll all be at the club and he’ll spend the day there and he won’t miss a trick.

“Brett Rosebury will go into work, he’ll whack out three or four hours, he’ll get in early. He’ll then leave his place of work, he’ll drive to a universal practice in Fitzroy.

“And he’ll do his pilates, he’ll pay for that out of his own pocket, then he’ll go back to his work and he’ll continue on his merry way with his vocational pursuit in the day.

“He will not only take the time out of his day, but he’ll also pay for it out of his own pocket, to undertake what it takes to be the best over 20 years.”

Travis Boak in the SANFL Showdown. Picture: Sarah Reed Photography

SHOWDOWN SPOTLIGHT

He might have played in the SANFL Showdown at the weekend, but veteran Power star Travis Boak wants a primetime slot for the senior edition of the game.

The former skipper has only missed two iterations of the Showdown during his career, and now wants it to be a primetime slot for the return game this season.

“It was horrible to watch,” he said jokingly on AFL 360.

“It was a cracking game... and they’re always hard-fought games and always really close, so I think that’s why both clubs are pushing for a Friday night Showdown.

“They are such a good spectacle.

“It was a quality game of footy but I would’ve definitely loved to be out there.”

The AFL is expected to finalise the fixtures from round 16 onwards in the coming days, with the Crows hosting the round 20 Showdown against the Power.

Rory Lobb is staying at the Bulldogs. Picture: Getty Images

Footy Classified

Eddie McGuire wants umpiring radically changed in a move that would spell the end of throw ins and would move solely to score reviews.

The former Collingwood president says the move to four field umpires, a decision that has been scrutinised in recent weeks, was simply not enough.

Instead, he used Footy Classified to call for an additional four field umpires, to a total of eight, that are designated zones across the field.

“You zone off and let the ball come to you all the time,” he said.

“Under my plan we get rid of goal umpires and boundary umpires.

"Under my plan, we get rid of goal umpires and boundary umpires."

As umpiring controversies plague the league, Eddie McGuire again calls for a complete overhaul of how the game is officiated.#9FootyClassified | Watch on Nine & 9Now 🖥️ pic.twitter.com/Z5nnjCLa1m

— Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) May 13, 2025

“It would save nearly $5million a year in umpires fees, which could go into making it better for the field umpires.”

McGuire suggested it would be similar to the SANFL, which operates off a one-touch rule for kicks back into play after going out of bounds.

“We have too many umpires at the moment that don’t make any decisions,” he said.
“We don’t need to cut the game, we need to cut the stoppages.”

It would be a radical move from the AFL.

In other news...

Western Bulldogs defender Rory Lobb has signed a one-year extension to remain at the kennel.

Lobb looked like he was on the way out of the club halfway through last season, but was reborn as an intercepting defender that became a genuine matchwinner for Luke Beveridge’s side.

Now he has added an extra year onto his contract, which was due to expire at the end of 2026.

The 32 year old will instead come out of contract in 2027, when he is 34.

“Rory has continued to play a crucial role for our team, particularly since his move to defence late last season,“ football manager Sam Power said.

“He continues to show his trademark ability to compete in the air and take contested marks, while showing durability and consistency as a key position player.

“Rory will do anything for the team, moving to either end of the ground at different stages in 2025 due to injury or necessity.

“We look forward to having Rory in red, white and blue for the next two seasons.”