No conflict with league fly-in rules despite Saints pair signing with southern clubs

AFLNT fly-in rules mean South Fremantle bound Ben Rioli and Williamstown recruit Kieren Parnell will have to wait until the end of the 2019-20 NTFL season to relocate interstate

St Mary's young gun Kieren Parnell is headed for VFL club Williamstown via Melbourne suburban side Heidelberg.

AFLNT fly-in rules mean South Fremantle bound Ben Rioli and Williamstown recruit Kieren Parnell will have to wait until the end of the 2019-20 NTFL season to relocate interstate.

Rioli, 26 and Parnell, 19, are key pieces in coach Anthony Vallejo’s plans to lift his Saints into the top three at finals time immediately after a wooden spoon season.

Parnell, one of the Territory’s big hopes at last November’s national draft despite missing the cut, will be a fringe player at Williamstown in a “24th’’ player role.

His base club will be suburban club Heidelberg, coached by former St Mary’s goalkicker Danny Nolan until called up by the VFL Seagulls.

Rioli is headed to his family’s spiritual club in a bid to be a regular player at state level.

A courageous, hard running defender who can kick goals when moved up forward, he will add to a long list of Riolis who have worn South Fremantle’s red and white guernsey.

“Now that Thunder’s no longer around, Ben’s still got ambitions to play at a state level and by heading to South Fremantle he’s carrying on a family tradition,’’ Vallejo said.

“He went to meet the coach (Todd Curley) a couple of weeks ago, which was why he missed the win over the Buffaloes,’’ Vallejo said.

“He’ll go down when the season finishes here to link up with the last bit of pre-season with Souths, though I’m sure both Ben and Kieren will head south for a week or two to do some training with their clubs.

“But they won’t be moving down full-time until after the season finishes here, so we’ll have them for the finals if we get there.’’

St Mary’s open the post Christmas season against Wanderers on a Friday night, when the two clubs that played in four successive grand finals from 2014-17, meet on January 3 at TIO Stadium.

Wanderers will wear black armbands in respect of long serving president and passionate clubman Steve Olsson, who died suddenly on Christmas Eve.