AFL 2021: Michael Long calls on the Eagles and AFL to back wayward forward Willie Rioli after drug bust

Michael Long has pleaded with West Coast to give Willie Rioli another chance, saying his nephew knows he has to change his life - for himself and his community.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 18: Willie Rioli of the Eagles celebrates a goal during the 2019 AFL round 22 match between the Richmond Tigers and the West Coast Eagles at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on August 18, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos)

AFL great Michael Long has pleaded with West Coast and the league to give Willie Rioli another chance to reclaim his career.

Rioli was caught with marijuana in his pants when he tried to board a flight from Darwin to the Tiwi Islands and on Wednesday avoided a conviction after pleading guilty at Darwin Magistrates Court to drug possession.

He was put on a 12-month $500 good behaviour bond.

The Eagles are reportedly weighing up whether to hand Rioli a club-imposed punishment, or even cut him from the list.

Long is Rioli’s uncle and spoke to the 25-year-old forward on Wednesday night.

He said Rioli needed a “hand up and not a hand out’’.

“He’s made mistakes and if he comes through the other end that’s a really important strong message,’’ Long said.

“As a young man he knows he has to change his life for his own sake, for his own kids, for his own community.’’

Michael Long has pleaded with West Coast and the league to give Willie Rioli another chance. Picture: AAP

The Herald Sun revealed on Thursday Rioli was prepared to submit to regular drug tests to prove he could break the cycle of cannabis use.

“He’s a good kid Willie,’’ Long said. “I know his career and obviously I know what it’s taken to get that level. He’s gone through a lot.

“Even though he’s my nephew, you don’t want to see it end this way.

“If anything, I plead with the AFL and the Eagles.

“He’s been through enough humiliation with this.

“He’s so regretful. He’s let a lot of people down, supporters, the club, his teammates most importantly.

“I just don’t want to see him walk away from the game like this.

“I’m just asking for another second chance.

“The better way of handling this is for him to turn it around and prove to himself and others that he can do it.

“He needs a hand up and not a hand out.

“And Willie can show that by his actions on and off the footy field.”

Long said despite the recent events in Rioli’s career, which included the two-year ASADA ban for tampering with a urine sample, he was a hero for kids on the island.

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Willie Rioli leaves Darwin Local Court on May 12. Picture: Che Chorley

Rioli and Eagles teammate Jamie Cripps celebrate a goal during at the MCG in 2019. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

“They love him, just his nature and character,’’ Long said.

“He comes from the Vigona side of the family and obviously a Rioli … he’s got that beautiful nature about him.

“He’s always got time for people. He’s pretty humble and I think football can give him a platform to turn what’s happened into a positive.

“He knows what he’s done. He so regretful.’’

In the months leading up to the airport arrest, Rioli had been training on the island and with St Mary’s in Darwin.

Former St Kilda and Fremantle coach Ross Lyon Lyon said Rioli had to get “back to being the best version of himself”.

He said the Eagles “100 per cent, a million per cent’’ should give Rioli anther chance.

Rioli’s extreme measure to save AFL career

- Jon Ralph

Willie Rioli is prepared to submit to regular drug tests to prove he can break the cycle of cannabis use in a bid to resuscitate his AFL career.

Rioli is awaiting a West Coast decision on his future, with the Eagles letting the dust settle after he escaped conviction after a sniffer dog detected cannabis on him in Darwin Airport.

The Eagles football department are aware their board might take the issue out of their hands given his continued issues, which come after a two-year ASADA ban.

The AFL might also issue him with an illicit drugs strike, with the AFLPA and league to work through that issue in coming weeks.

But even before Rioli’s latest drug infraction he was prepared to accept a greater level of rigour around his behaviour.

That could include weekly drug tests to ensure he has overcome his drug problem, which West Coast conceded this week.

Footballer Willie Rioli leaves Darwin Local Court after allegedly being caught with cannabis while flying from Darwin to the Tiwi Islands. Picture: Che Chorley

Rioli would also be told he needs to cut ties with certain friends who do not help his AFL career and make better lifestyle choices.

The Eagles and Rioli would need to work through regular drug tests with the AFL players association.

But at the age of only 25, there are a long line of AFL clubs who would be prepared to swoop in if the Eagles do make the decision to sack him after multiple infractions.

Clubs with strong Indigenous programs have shown they are prepared to take chances on players like Sydney Stack, with Tyson Stengle being considered in the mid-season draft despite recent drink-driving and cocaine offences.

Former Fremantle coach Ross Lyon said on Wednesday Rioli should definitely be handed another chance despite his recent transgression given his levels of talent and the likelihood of turning his life around.

When Ben Cousins returned to Richmond he was re-registered by the AFL Commission, which ruled he needed regular drug tests including urine testing up to three times a week and hair tests four times a year.

West Coast football manager Craig Vozzo speaks to the media about wayward West Coast player Willie Rioli.

Richmond coach Terry Wallace later revealed Cousins left a meeting to decide his future for an “extended bathroom break”, but for two seasons he barely put a foot wrong.

Wallace said after that meeting the club knew it had no responsibility to Cousins but believed it could help him.

“Did we have any responsibility to take that on? Probably the answer to that is no,“ Wallace said.

“But we did sit back in a board meeting and say ‘if this young man, we decide to not give him an opportunity of getting his footy together, which means getting his life together, as a board how would we sit if in 8-10 weeks, all of a sudden we woke up one morning and there was a news bulletin and something horrific had happened’.

Rioli had made huge inroads in the past six months to work back to full fitness ahead of what was supposed to be a June 20 return to West Coast training.

The lightning small forward had put together a purple patch of six weeks before accepting a provisional suspension for his tampering ban, including a 93-ranking point, nine score-involvement final against Essendon.

His clash against Adelaide in Round 1 saw him peel off a 21-possession, 113-ranking point, seven-tackle, 10-score involvement clash but his career was put on hold four weeks later.

Originally published as AFL 2021: Michael Long calls on the Eagles and AFL to back wayward forward Willie Rioli after drug bust