NTFL 2023-24: Shannon Rioli unable to return to St Mary’s

Shannon Rioli has played more than 200 games with St Mary’s, however an off-season rule change means he won’t be able to return the side this season.

St Mary’s champion Shannon Rioli will spend a season in limbo after an off-season rule change meant he can’t return to the club he’s played more than 200 games with.

Rioli is one of the modern Saints’ greats winning seven premierships with the side, famously kicking the game winner in the 2015-16 grand final.

Last season he made the move to the Tiwi Bombers to play with his brother Ben for potentially the last time and give back to a team full of players he grew up with.

However, he said he always wanted to close out his NTFL career where it began, only playing four times so he could return to Saints without penalty.

At the time a player who played six or more games for one NTFL side would cost a direct rival four player points if they were to switch the following season.

Shannon Rioli made the switch to Tiwi Bombers in the 2022-23 NTFL season. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

But AFLNT changed the rules in the off season reducing the threshold from six games to four, meaning Rioli would cost four of Saints’ 16 allocated player points.

“My plan was to play under six games last season so if I did go back to Saints I would be zero points,” he said.

“But they changed the rules in the off season, so I got stuck as a four pointer, which we appealed a couple of times but for whatever reason they’ve knocked it back.

“It just feels like common sense that when you bring in a rule like this it doesn’t get backdated to affect individuals who didn’t know.

“I was caught out by the rule change with no warning, I do feel pretty hard done by and they could have said ‘as of now, going forward’.”

Shannon Rioli co-captained St Mary’s with Raphael Clarke to the 2019-20 NTFL grand final. Picture: Che Chorley

Rioli isn’t the only player in the situation with Nightcliff junior Christos Gikas unable to chase opportunities at opposition clubs, despite playing the majority of the year in reserves.

But for Rioli it’s a matter of having the rug pulled from under him with the 32-year-old always intending to make a return.

He’s now poised to play three games at Tiwi this season to keep his options open for seasons to come.

“I wanted to get back to finish with the club I started with, help out with the coaching and also have my kids at the club where they could play with other families,” he said.

“I don’t think anyone would have an issue with it or complain, and no one would complain about a younger guy switching for opportunities either.

“I’m happy to play with Tiwi, it isn’t that I wanted to leave, it was just what was best for me finishing where I started and pushing to 250 games for Saints.

“I don’t want Tiwi to think I don’t want to play with them and won’t put in so I will probably play after Christmas, once I’ve got my body right to give it my all.”

The AFLNT said the change in by-laws helped maintain competition integrity.

“AFLNT in consultation with club representatives, and the By-Laws committee, update and amend the NTFL By-Laws annually,” a league spokeswoman said.

“While competition By-Laws sometimes impact on individual circumstances, they are designed to maintain competition integrity and foster competitive balance across the competition.”