Richmond legend Maurice Rioli dies at Christmas barbecue

RICHMOND great Maurice Rioli has died in Darwin at the age of 53.

RICHMOND great Maurice Rioli has died in Darwin at the age of 53.

The 1982 Norm Smith medallist was at a family barbecue when he collapsed and died of a suspected heart attack.

Rioli was seen as a man who blazed a path for indigenous footballers, particularly from the Northern Territory, taking his silky skills first to South Fremantle and then to Richmond where he dazzled teammates, foes and fans alike with his skills and commitment to causes he believed in.

Former teammate and Tigers legend Kevin Bartlett was shattered when told the news.

''Well, that's unbelievable. That's very sad,'' an emotional Bartlett said.''What sadness. He was one of the great players that played with the Tigers. One of the great players I played with. It has hit me hard.

''I know how his family will feel. I lost my father on Christmas day, so I can understand the depth of despair that the family would be feeling.

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''He was a champion, Maurice. Anyone who played with Maurice would only class him as champion player.

''He was just one of the best players to play with the Tigers.

''He came to the club, won best and fairests, nearly won the Brownlow Medal and he was just one of those marvellous indigenous players that took the football world by storm. He was just a great player.

''He was a delightful personality. A very softly spoken person. I can't remember a better tackler than Maurice Rioli.''

Rioli's former South Fremantle teammate Brad Hardie was shocked at the sudden passing of his mate.

''They coin the phrase champion far too loosely these days and he was certainly it,'' Hardie said.

''The Original Mr. Magic should be emblazoned on his tombstone.''

Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale said: "Maurice was an enormously important figure in the game as a player, and more broadly in the leading role he played for indigenous Australians.

"He will be remembered as one of the greatest players in the Tigers' proud history."

Neil Randall, a 1980 South Fremantle premiership teammate, said last night: ''He was the best footballer I've ever played with  simple as that.

''They reckon when God came to play, Maurice had to move to the wing.

He was a genuinely lovely fella and you would hate to get into a boxing ring with him.

''He had the quickest reflexes you will ever see in the game. He went on to win some great achievements and he's a big loss.

''An absolute genius of a bloke and a sad miss for all walks of life.''

When Rioli crossed the Nullarbor in 1982 at the age of 24, he arrived in a hurry.

The skilful midfielder-forward was given the No.17 jumper at Richmond, worn with distinction by ''Captain Blood'' Jack Dyer, and took the team back to premiership contention while exciting the legion of Tiger fans.

Unfortunately the team fell at the final hurdle in his first season, going down by 18 points to Carlton in the Grand Final, though Rioli became the first player to win the Norm Smith Medal despite playing in a losing side.

He went on to play 118 games and kicked 80 goals in the black and yellow.

He also took his silky skills on to the international stage, playing a starring role in the first series against the Irish in 1984.

One honour he rated highly was his selection in the centre for the Indigenous Team of the Century, with his cousin Michael Long beside him on one wing.

Though he came to prominence for his exploits at Richmond and South Fremantle, the softly spoken Rioli is first and foremost seen as a product of the Northern Territory to where he returned when he finished playing.

Seen as a trailblazer for players from the Territory, he came from the famous footballing nursery of St Marys, also the starting point for a string of players who would go on to VFL/AFL careers including Long, Ronnie Burns, Scott Chisholm, Xavier Clarke and Raphael Clarke, Peter Burgoyne, Cyril Rioli and Austin Wonaeamirri.

His first move from Darwin was to Perth where, as an 18-year-old, he signed on for South Fremantle under coach Mal Brown.

At 30, Rioli called time on his VFL career, returning to Perth where he captained South Fremantle, doubling up as captain-coach of Waratahs in Darwin in the summer.

He won All-Australian honours for a third time after the 1988 Bicentennial Carnival. In 1990, he retired from the WAFL, playing on in Darwin until 1991.

In 1993, he presented the Norm Smith Medal at the Grand Final to Long.

After his illustrious footballing career, Rioli went into the Northern Territory parliament, representing Arafura from 1992-2001.

More recently he was a community services manager for the Tiwi Islands where he was again involved in football.