Daniel Rioli called Cyril Rioli for advice two hours before the Grand Final
A PHONECALL to Hawthorn superstar Cyril Rioli as the MCG filled with supporters helped keep Daniel Rioli calm on Saturday. But what did Cyril say?
Richmond
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A PHONECALL to Hawthorn superstar Cyril Rioli as the MCG filled with supporters helped keep Daniel Rioli calm before Richmond broke its 37-year premiership drought in Saturday’s Grand Final.
Rioli, 20, called “Uncle Cyril” from the locker room just two hours before the opening bounce for some last-minute advice from the four-time premiership Hawk.
The young Tiger laid five tackles, although suffered a nasty ankle injury in the final quarter when he was trod on by Adelaide’s Rory Atkins.
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Rioli sported a moon boot and crutches at Richmond’s family day at Punt Rd on Sunday and said “my leg is killing me” after having just three hours sleep.
With Rioli struggling to stand, captain Trent Cotchin lifted the goalsneak on his shoulders during Saturday’s lap of honour.
Rioli is expected to be booked for surgery and will return home to the Tiwi Islands this weekend, for some fishing and shooting trips.
“I spoke to Cyril, my uncle,” Rioli said.
“He’s played in five Grand Finals now, so I spoke to him and he said there wasn’t going to be perfect players in a Grand Final, it’s going to be high-intensity and pressure.
“So he said you’ve just got to run and get to contests and just chase.
“It really did help actually. He played in his first Grand Final when he was 18 years old.”
Cyril, who watched on with family in Alice Springs, played in his first flag in just his 25th game.
Daniel Rioli’s first flag came in his 43rd game and he became a Tigers favourite with a memorable four-goal blitz against Greater Western Sydney in the preliminary final.
He wore the same No.17 Tigers jumper as great uncle Maurice Rioli, who won the Norm Smith in the club’s previous Grand Final — 1982.
“I got up this morning with a premiership medal on my bedside table and it wasn’t a dream,” he said.
“Dreams do come true. I got a few chase down tackles, which I was happy with and good pressure by the forwards and it all worked out.”
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