Richmond star Daniel Rioli backs Darwin hosting AFLW Dreamtime clash

A Richmond Tigers star has backed the prospects of a Darwin-based Dreamtime clash, while assessing his side’s chances for the upcoming 2024 season.

Richmond FC players and NT Academy players after an open training camp at TIO Stadium. Picture: Richmond FC Media.

Richmond’s Daniel Rioli has backed the return of the Dreamtime Game to Darwin, as he and his squad trained in front of hundreds of supporters at TIO Stadium.

The Territorian, along with Maurice Rioli Jr, and other Tigers teammates headed north this weekend to spend some time with friends and family on their native Tiwi Islands.

And bright and early in the humid Darwin weather for an open training session, giving the Riolis another chance to showcase their land to their club.

Three-time premiership winner Daniel last played in Darwin during the 2020 Dreamtime match against Essendon, which was relocated to TIO due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

It’s an experience he hasn’t forgotten in front of a packed out TIO Stadium, and one he believes would set the scene for an incredible first Darwin-based AFLW match.

“I reckon that’d be awesome to have the first AFLW game be a Dreamtime clash,” he said.

“I had that opportunity and it was a pretty special game, but AFLW would be awesome because we’ve got a big fan base here in the NT.

Daniel Rioli training at TIO Stadium. Picture: Richmond FC Media.

“A lot of women play here and they’re really good footballers, so to have the AFLW come up here and, if it does happen, it’s going to be pretty special, and I think everyone will get around it.”

On Tiwi the players went fishing and driving through the bush, with the only issue for Rioli being coming away empty-handed on the water.

And it was an experience which backed up Rioli’s plans of returning to the NTFL or TIFL once his AFL playing career comes to an end.

“It’s probably on my bucket list when I retire to try and win a premiership for Tiwi, St Mary’s and go back to the Tiwi Islands and play for the mighty Imalu Tigers,” he said.

“The past few days have been awesome, I got to showcase my land and where I’m from, with Maurice, so I took a few teammates up here and they’ve enjoyed it.

“We did go out for some fish. No luck. The fun thing about it was we got some Troopy out. It’s a nice car out in the bush.

“A bit bumpy out there but the coaches and players took turns driving the car, bit exciting and adrenaline pumper. Just a great time driving the car around and being out in the bush.”

But while returning north one day is on his bucket list, Rioli’s eyes are solely set on the season ahead under new coach Adem Yze.

Darwin footy lovers showed up in numbers to see an early morning Richmond FC training run at TIO Stadium. Picture: Patch Clapp (AFLNT Media).

The 2023 season was an up and down affair for Richmond with premiership winning coach Damien Hardwick leaving and the club dropping to 13th.

“It was a rollercoaster with Dimma going and fresh faces and Andrew McQualter as our interim coach and he was fantastic,” he said.

“He was awesome and obviously we needed a fresh face into the club and we’ve got a fair few coaches now in Jack Ziebell, Chris Newman and Yze.

“So, fresh faces there that can turn the club around going forward. So I’m looking forward to the year and hopefully we’ll do better than we did last year.”

Maurice Rioli taking a mark in front of the Maurice Rioli Stand at TIO Stadium. Picture: Richmond FC Media.

Rioli also urged AFL recruiters to come to the Northern Territory more often to give emerging players a better chance of making it to the big league.

“Being an Indigenous person myself, I had to move away and make some sacrifices,” he said.

“It was pretty hard and I think if you do those, you have a pretty high chance of getting to where you want to go.

“Getting drafted or whatever it is, but the main thing is if you get AFL recruiters actually come to the NT and watch some games and keep an eye out on some players here.

“If we can get more exposure here with AFL recruiters actually watching a game, I think the hype will be out there and a lot more, not only Indigenous players but NT players as well coming out of here.”