Mourners gather in Darwin CBD to farewell Willie Rioli Senior
Willie Rioli Senior is remembered as a man who would always ‘stick up for the small and the shy’. See all the pics and video here:
Northern Territory
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THE late Willie Rioli Senior has been remembered as a vibrant and proud father of three, one of the Territory’s finest sporting exports and a man who would always “stick up for the small and the shy”.
Ceremonial song drew community together around Willie’s casket at the front of St Mary’s Cathedral on Wednesday as they danced his spirit into its next journey.
The anguished cries of mourners echoed through the cavernous cathedral resonating in the hollows of each person’s grieving body.
Overlooking attendees – many dressed in blue to honour Uncle Willie’s clan – looked up to his photo projected on the wall above the alter; his charismatic smile looking back to those who loved him.
During the eulogy, friend Dominic McCormack said the late Rioli Snr was a man of great energy whose “incredible” light “lit up the path for others behind and beside him, and always left a lasting impression”, and was a devoted grandfather and husband to wife Georgina.
“He brightened all of our lives,” Mr McCormack said, remembering a smiling man with his chest out, proud and greeting everyone with a “booming, loud voice that could be heard from anywhere”.
“He always brought great energy, experience, organisation, a big smile, lots of humility and a bit of stubbornness to all he did.
“He set about to do all that he could to make things better for those who came after him.”
Mr McCormack said Uncle Willie was one of the best sportspeople to come out of the Top End, winning four premierships at St Mary’s across 201 games while kicking 262 goals, and was recruited by Hawthorn in 1990.
“And probably one you could hear the clearest, no matter where you were, on the ground or as a spectator,” he said.
“It would be rare to ever hear a bad word about him from opposition supporters, even when he was taking their team apart, they still loved him, they just wanted him on their side.”
The church heard Uncle Willie’s footy career kicked off as a 15-year-old in 1987/88 at St Mary’s, marked by “two booming torpedoes” which showed to the club’s brains trust they had a special player on their hands.
Accolades quickly followed: the youngest member of an NT team playing in the 1988 bicentennial game, before winning a Nichols Medal the following year.
However, he was not there to receive it, having already left for WA to play with South Fremantle.
In later years, as a Tiwi Islands land ranger, mentor, supervisor and fire co-ordinator, it would see him receive a medal of the Order of Australia for his services in 2008.
Hundreds gathered to farewell the legend including two-time Essendon premiership player Michael Long, Commonwealth Games gold medallist Nova Peris, Hawthorn champion Cyril Rioli Junior, Chief Minister Natasha Fyles and son Willie Rioli Junior, with many standing outside the church.
Rioli Jnr’s children wore a shirts with a big picture of their late grandfather.
Mr McCormack spoke of a man who loved music, with Eye of the Tiger and Sultans of Swing particular favourites.
Others remembered him as the cheeky character, dancing around in his tiger skin jocks, “flexing like he was Apollo Creed”.
While footy was his first love, Uncle Willie was a gifted athlete who showed prowess at rugby and could play cricket “with his eyes closed”.
“He was positive, happy, and had a great sense of humour and an infectious laugh,” McCormack said.
“He would always stick up for the small and the shy, and if he had to fight, then look out.
“Everyone loved Willie.
“It didn’t matter your colour, where you were from, what your education level was or your sporting ability, Willie would be your friend.
“Rest in peace Willie, our captain, our brother, our friend.”
SEE ALL THE PHOTOS HERE:
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