West Coast Eagles fuming after Junior Rioli officially requests trade

West Coast have admitted to being “bitterly disappointed” in a star that stuck by through a doping ban after he demanded out.

Junior Rioli has officially requested a trade away from West Coast after weeks of speculation surrounding his future.

The Eagles star was sighted in Adelaide meeting with Port Adelaide officials where he said he hoped to join the club, before he returned to Perth.

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On Tuesday he officially submitted his trade request with the Power offering up a more lucrative contract and a chance for Rioli to be closer to his family.

“If I do leave, it’s not ‘cos I don’t like the club, it’s like any workforce – if you’re going to get paid somewhere else better or you’ve got a longer stint somewhere, you’re going to move not just for yourself but for your family,” he said last week.

Despite the family motive, the Eagles weren’t happy with the trade request and did little to hide their emotion with Rioli.

The club stood by Rioli after he served a two-year ban from the AFL for doping after he was found to have tampered with a urine sample on two occasions.

“We could not have done any more to support Junior since his infraction in 2019,” CEO Trevor Nisbett said.

“We facilitated his appeal and subsequent return to football, so this decision is ‘bitterly disappointing.’

“We will put that disappointment to one side now and work to arrange a suitable trade for a player who has high end talent, is a premiership player and is in the prime of his career, having played just 51 games of senior football.

“Junior has made his decision and while he has indicated Port is his preferred destination we will work to get the best outcome for our club.”

Rioli’s decision to depart the Eagles struck a cord with former Eagle Xavier Ellis who unleashed on the star forward.

“I’ll tell you what would make you comfortable – getting paid for two years when you’re banned for two years, that would make you pretty comfortable,” Ellis said on Triple M Radio.

“Not having to pay for your QC fees of your cases that you’ve had the last two years, to have them waived. That would make me feel a bit comfortable.

“Rioli, I think you owe West Coast.

“You might get a better deal at Port, but what West Coast’s done for you over the last three years – you’ve played in two victories in the last three years. I think he owes West Coast something.

“Not many players owe football clubs anything – it’s a business deal, it is literally: ‘shake hands, I perform a contract’ – it’s much deeper here.

“Of course was banned for two years, twice tampered with drug samples, pled guilty for drugs in an airport and has freely moved back and forth around WA back home more than any other player on the list the last few years as well.

“I think he owes it to West Coast to stick it out.”