Port Adelaide AFL news: Junior Rioli dreaming big, inspiring by NFL and NBA legends
After a summer spent watching documentaries about sporting greats, Junior Rioli has set lofty ambitions for his first season at Port Adelaide — and believes the Power can match them.
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Port Adelaide recruit Junior Rioli is unsure what reception he will receive from West Coast players and fans but is looking forward to facing his former side first in Perth on Friday.
The Eagles expressed bitter disappointment when Rioli sought a trade to the Power in October, rather than re-signed at the club that stuck by him during his two-year drug ban from 2019-21.
Rioli said he left on good terms and was excited to catch up with familiar faces in his first trial game for Port Adelaide.
He has not had any banter with ex-teammates leading up to the match, possibly because he has been without a phone due to kayaking accident a few weeks ago.
“I’m grateful I’ve still got a good connection over there and am looking forward to catching up with them,” Rioli said.
“I’ve learnt to control what I can control so if I go over there and get some reception, I can’t control any of that.
“I have still got family, friends and people I’m close to that I talk to who have been nothing but respectful for me.
“My expectation is just to play my way for the team I’m playing for now ... and get a good run against another opposition.”
Rioli arrived at the Power as part of the four-club mega deal that also led to Jason Horne-Francis arriving at Alberton.
The 27-year-old, who won a flag with the Eagles in 2018, believed winning a premiership this year was a realistic goal for Port Adelaide.
“This club’s got really high expectations,” said Rioli, who kicked 60 goals from 51 games for West Coast after being drafted from SANFL team Glenelg in 2018.
“Going to the club’s Hall of Fame (event) last night and meeting so many great legends, guys that have played in eight flags or five flags, it (success) is expected here.
“With the group we’ve got now, no doubt I definitely think we can push to playing at that top level.”
Rioli had worked closely with the Power’s dietitian and weights coach this summer, putting him in good stead for season 2023.
“Before I used to shy away from all that and think I could play on talent,” he said.
Rioli’s stepped up his off-field preparation during his time on the sidelines.
He watched a lot of YouTube documentaries about great athletes, including NFL and NBA stars, learning more about how to look after his body.
“When I got back I decided I wanted to get to that (higher) level,” he said.
Rioli’s cousin, Hawthorn great Cyril Rioli, has also been a sounding board for him.
They trained together in the Northern Territory last year before he began training with the Power.
Rioli said pre-season camps had helped him settle into his new club.
Jeremy Finlayson, Sam Powell-Pepper, Tom Clurey and Aliir Aliir were just some of the players with whom he had quickly bonded.
“The camps brought us closer together,” he said.
RAVE REVIEWS FOR PORT BULL’S MIDFIELD TRIAL
Simeon Thomas-Wilson
Port Adelaide youngster Lachie Jones says he doesn’t yet know where he will be playing despite the Power teasing that more midfield minutes could come his way.
The 20-year-old was drafted as a defender and featured in that position in his first outings at AFL level.
The Power’s small forward issues last year led to Jones being deployed as a pressure forward at times, and a further positional change could be on the cards in 2023.
During the Power’s internal trial on Friday night Jones spent significant time in the midfield for the probables team in black.
Zak Butters was missing after he suffered a minor sprain to his AC joint, which was caused by a Jones tackle in training.
Power forwards coach Chad Cornes said he liked the look of the tough-as-nails Jones around the ball.
“He showed some really good signs in there,” Cornes said.
“Also over the past couple of weeks and this pre-season, he is powerful.
“He needs to make better positions with the ball but he is something I think can add a lot to our midfield going forward.
“He will be one you will see more in there over the next couple of weeks, I think.”
Jones told the Power’s website that he expected to remain largely as a defender.
“I’ve been told (I’ll play) back, but (I’ve) been playing mid, so we’ll wait until we get into games a bit more and get a bit more education in with the coaches,” he said.
“I’ll be able to play anywhere, I guess.”
Port fans will be able to get a clearer idea of where Jones fits into the side this year when the Power heads to Perth this week to take on Fremantle and West Coast in trial and practice matches.
Charlie Dixon played less than a half of the internal trial at Alberton Oval after landing awkwardly on his ribs.
The Power is so confident that he will be fine that Dixon might not even need scans ahead of the trip to Perth.
Adelaide will also head to Western Australia to take on the Eagles and Dockers.
Key defender Jordon Butts got a knock to his shoulder in the Crows internal trial on Friday night but has pulled up well.
Star recruit Izak Rankine, Nick Murray, Josh Worrell and Mark Keane all had their minutes limited at Richmond Oval but that was just for load management.
Track notes: Shock addition to Port’s onball mix
Is a player with less than two AFL games under his belt set to be Port Adelaide’s ruck come Round 1?
Brynn Teakle played two games for the Power in 2022, with his first coming just over two weeks after he was selected with the eighth pick in the mid-season draft.
A shoulder injury cut his debut against Sydney short, but Teakle did return to play Richmond in Round 21.
And the 23-year-old Western Australian could be set to quickly add to this total.
While West Coast premiership winner and the Power’s first choice ruck over the last couple of years Scott Lycett is back fit after a dislocated shoulder and then a subsequent infection last year, it was Teakle who was named as the lead ruck for the black team made up of the probables.
Lycett led the ruck for the white side and looking noticeably slimmed down, he did his best to try and ensure that Teakle’s stint as the first-choice ruck is a short one, getting the better of him at hit-outs and moving around the ground well.
Teakle grew into the game, and showed some composed kicking and an ability to move well around the ground.
The two were swapped between the two sides for the final quarters and this looks to be the positional battle to watch when it comes to the Power this pre-season.
Earlier this week Power senior coach Ken Hinkley foreshadowed more ruck time for spearhead Charlie Dixon in an interview with News Corp and the key forward was going into the ruck for the black team when Teakle was having a spell.
It might not happen this season but keep an eye on Dante Visentini with the young tall impressing with two first-half goals for the whites.
He impressed so much that he was shifted to the black side after halftime and looms as one to watch.
HORNET IN THE MIDDLE
Zak Butters, missing with a light sprain of his AC joint, will need to be factored in but the Power gave a big hint of where they want to play their prime recruit Jason Horne-Francis.
The former No.1 pick went straight to the middle alongside Connor Rozee and Ollie Wines for the first centre-bounce for the black team.
This meant Travis Boak started as a half-forward while Xavier Duursma and Miles Bergman were on the wings.
Horne-Francis got a fair bit of the footy in the first quarter, showing the power and explosiveness that has Port Adelaide so thrilled they got him back to South Australia.
When he wasn’t around the ball Horne-Francis was playing as a half-forward.
He had a quieter second quarter but his competitiveness was on show, even when he gave away a double 50m penalty in the fourth quarter.
Rozee showed that he looks primed to build on his breakout year in 2022, with the young gun extremely damaging and able to hit the scoreboard.
The only real addition to the on-ball brigade from last year, outside of Horne-Francis, for the Power looks to be Lachie Jones.
After being drafted to the Power as a defender, Jones was used as a pressure forward last year.
A further positional shift could be on the cards with Jones used a fair bit around the ball.
Tough as nails and a raging bull of a player Jones could add a further dimension to the Power’s midfield.
RAZZLE DAZZLE
If Port Adelaide can keep Orazio Fantasia largely injury free in 2023 then it will go a long way to putting the Power’s horror 2022 season behind them.
A tight calf has meant that Fantasia hasn’t done a lot of main training sessions in recent weeks but the livewire small forward looked sharp.
He kicked a goal in the first quarter and looked like he could create something every time he got the ball.
And in the biggest positive the Power could take out of the evening regarding Fantasia he lasted the four 25 minutes quarters.
With Robbie Gray now retired the Power will be hoping Fantasia can step up and win some games for them like the legend of the club used to do.
New recruit Junior Rioli was also impressive as a small forward and the Power will be hoping the two can cause teams serious problems this season.
NO RISKS WITH STARS
With a trip to Perth coming up where the Power will take on West Coast and Fremantle no risks were taken with some of their stars.
Dixon played less than two quarters after copping a little knock to the ribs but the Power aren’t worried about it.
Wines played a half after he only just resumed main training following off-season knee surgery.
This led to a couple of players who started as possibles shifting to the probables.
After his impressive first half Visentini was joined by Jed McEntee and Riley Bonner in shifting to the black side.
Duursma and new recruit from Geelong Francis Evans shifted to the white team as did Bergman for the final quarter.
Butters is expected to play one game in Western Australia, while Josh Sinn will also travel to Perth after he sat out the intraclub with a mild hamstring strain.
Trent Dumont also missed with a calf complaint.
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