The Score: Maurice Rioli Jr’s unusual wildlife encounter

Exciting father-son prospect Maurice Rioli Jr isn’t the first player who failed to complete a 2km time-trial. But his reason could be unique.

A reminder for Collingwood fans for another 12 months.

AFL recruiters know a lot more about Australian fauna after a comical turn of events with Richmond father-son prospect Maurice Rioli Jr.

There have been plenty of excuses offered up by players for not going well in a 2km time- trial over the journey but Rioli’s situation will be hard to beat.

The 18-year-old was unable to complete the weekend run because he was attacked by a group of plovers.

An email was sent to all AFL clubs explaining Rioli’s unfortunate circumstances and why he didn’t complete the circuit.

With no AFL draft combine this year, individual states have had to run events for recruiters.

Sydney list manager Kinnear Beatson was amused by the Rioli situation, which he says would have had some of his fellow recruiters hitting Google to find out what plovers were.

“They didn’t even know what a plover was. Their knowledge of our fauna has increased significantly,“ Beatson told the AFL website.

“When we received that email, having grown up in the country I know what being attack by a plover is like and it’s not pleasant, they’re almost as aggressive as magpies.

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Exciting draft prospect Maurice Rioli Jr. Picture: Felicity Elliott/AFLNT Media

A terrifying plover.

“But I couldn’t help myself, I was laughing when I read it. I actually replied all… (saying) ‘in my time in recruiting which is in excess of 30 years, you wouldn’t believe how often incidents like this occur’.

“In particular, I wrote cheekily, in fact there was one draft combine in Canberra where a wedge-tailed eagle swooped out and plucked a player off the track. I just left it at that.

“I did get a lot of funny texts and calls from the recruiting and list management fraternity. It just seemed so funny, you picture a young player try to dodge and weave and avoid a plover attack.

“I’ve never heard a reason like that as to why a player couldn’t complete his testing. It was quite comical.”

Rioli is expected to join his cousin, Daniel, at Punt Rd as a father-son selection in December’s draft.

AUSSIE EXPLAINS UNIQUE MASTERS LOOK

Cameron Smith captured the world‘s attention in more ways than one with his runner-up performance at the US Masters.

It wasn’t just his record-breaking golf — he became the first player to shoot four sub-70 rounds at Augusta — but the interesting mullet-moustache combo the Queenslander wsa rocking which raised some eyebrows.

“Yeah, I like it. I didn‘t cut the hair there for a while through quarantine,” Smith said.

“Actually, I saw all the rugby league boys there with the mullets and all the crazy facial hair, so just kind of followed in their steps.

“It’s kind of 50-50, I guess you could call it. If the whole COVID-19 thing wasn’t happening and we played sports throughout, I definitely don’t think I would have this haircut.”

Asked if his girlfriend was a fan, Smith said: “Oh, I don’t know about that. I might wake up in the middle of the night with some scissors through it, I think.”

Aussie golfer Cameron Smith and his ‘50-50’ haircut.

FANS TURN OFF STATE-OF-ORIGIN

Don’t expect to see a repeat of an end-of-season State of Origin series again with TV viewers not embracing the concept.

In fact, they turned off in droves with the three games of the 2020 series recording the lowest rating since OzTAM ratings started in 2001.

It wasn’t good reading for Channel 9 with the series also averaging under two million capital city viewers for the first time since 2007.

The average national five city metro audience for the series sits at 1.7 million, a 16.4 per cent decline from last year.

Including regional markets, figures were down 5 per cent to a national audience of 2.7 million people.

The disappointing ratings across the three games comes not only as Origin’s position on the rugby league calendar is hotly debated, but as the NRL is preparing to negotiate its free-to-air television rights deal.

Last week, ARLC Chairman Peter V’landys signalled a return to mid-season Origin in 2021.

THE WHISPER

Which AFL head honcho has become known for his “Happy Hour” messaging with opposition staff and players even on the receiving end?

MAGPIES’ AWKWARD MERCHANDISE FAIL

The Collingwood salary dump has certainly caught the club’s marketing department off guard.

As you can see they weren‘t factoring in the disappearance of two of the club’s biggest stars for next season.

The 2021 calendar is on sale on the club‘s website for $19.95 and it could become quite the collector’s item given the bloopers.

New Western Bulldogs midfielder Adam Treloar not only features on the front cover, he is also the main action picture on the back cover and then is Mr January.

And former rising star Jaidyn Stephenson, who is now a Kangaroo and resides at Arden Street, also made the Top 12 given he was allocated the month of October.

There was one saving grace, at least talk about Mason Cox getting the flick didn‘t eventuate as he’s Collingwood’s Mr December. 

Collingwood sent its calendar to the printer before the trade period.

STORM LEGEND GETS COLD FEET

He’s not the first sportsman and won’t be the last who gets a bit uneasy about an autobiography.

Finally getting to tell their story in their own words should be a cathartic experience, but many get squeamish after the fact when they see their inner thoughts in writing.

That‘s exactly what Melbourne Storm champion Cameron Smith appears to be going through.

His book, ‘The Storm Within’, had been much anticipated in the rugby league world for many reasons, notably it was expected to put a full stop to his career.

While that didn‘t happen and he instead went with an open ending given he still hasn’t made a decision about retirement yet, there were plenty of golden nuggets throughout the pages.

And maybe too many it seems now for Smith who has gone to ground, cancelling previously arranged publicity opportunities.

Cameron Smith has opened up an old wound or two with his autobiography.

On Monday Smith launched the book at Suncorp Stadium to much fanfare but also much derision.

Over the past couple of days former NRL boss David Gallop and one-time close friend and teammate Cooper Cronk have come out swinging, disputing Smith‘s version of events.

Gallop was furious when responding to claims by Smith about the salary cap scandal that saw the Storm stripped of two premierships, while Cronk appeared to take exception to Smith’s version of the breakdown of their relationship three years ago.

By Monday night Smith was getting cold feet with his book publisher forced to cancel interviews on Fox Sports and SEN Sydney which had been pencilled in for the following day.

Peter Dickson (left) with Channel 9’s Bruce Eva.

DIRECTING A DOCUMENTARY IN LOCKDOWN

Peter Dickson has done most things in the film industry, including winning multiple awards overseas, but he‘s never had to pull a documentary together in such a small space of time as he’s done with ‘The Sporting Bubble’.

His latest work - which will screen on Channel 9 on Sunday afternoon - captures how Queensland saved Australian sport during the COVID-19 crisis.

The documentary includes interviews and behind-the-scenes insights with the NRL, the AFL, the Super Netball competition and the Supercars championship, as well as boxing’s super welterweight fight between Jeff Horn and Tim Tszyu in Townsville.

Dickson was contacted by Nine at the start of the crisis and pitched the idea although the two-month timeline was the tightest he‘d ever worked with previously plus he had to negotiate quarantine bubble protocols with each sport.

The highlight for him was the use of comedy duo Roy and HG who provide commentary throughout the documentary.

Ex-Bomber eyes board role

Former Essendon premiership defender Frank Dunnell is fighting to get on the VAFA board.

Dunnell, who played 100 games at Essendon including the 1984 premiership before finishing his career in Brisbane, has been a long-time figure in the amateur ranks.

He played for St Bernard‘s when he returned to live in Melbourne at the end of his VFL playing days and then went onto coach four VAFA clubs including North Old Boys.

Dunnell‘s son Sam, who played 12 games for St Kilda, is returning to the VAFA with his original team Old Melburnians.

Sam played U/19 and senior football at Old Melburnians before getting a gig in the VFL with the Bendigo Bombers. From there he was snapped up by the Saints in the 2012 rookie draft.

After three seasons with the Saints, he moved to Williamstown where he played in the 2015 premiership and became a star of the VFL competition.

There are six candidates for three spots on the VAFA board, which means the association will have its first election in 20 years on December 7.

THE WHISPER

Which two clubs were at the centre of some unofficial complaints lodged by several clubs to AFL headquarters over their conduct throughout trade week?