Player Watch #17 Maurice Rioli Jnr Re-Signed 2026

[Groupie_]

let me know if you need a lift to the airport

 

[Sol23]

Pathetic opinion, keeping positive on one of our young players. He has many negative comments, so no harm on something that’s positive.

It’s called being a realist. Only reason he’s on the list at this point is because if his surname. Keep up the quality posting.

 

[tora tora tora]

Maurice has already played very well in big games in front of big crowds. He was thinking pretty clearly on those occasions. So we know he has that in his locker. The other players you mentioned probably need to do something on that sort of stage before we can confirm they have gone past Maurice.

2022 I saw him play well against the Suns. His 2022 final was also Ok albeit both losses.

2023 he was one of the 2 small fwds and he looked like he lost awareness and got caught HTB, tying to do too much.
MRJ & BIG game player? Not in my book. 2 goals in Round 1.

I think recall looking for his highlights and NONE from 2023. All from 2022. He' looking better away from goal in the vfl.

I haven't seen much practice matches, Green be close to a game.

Sonsie played well in a final. Clarke played a bit ..... plenty of potential replacements.

 

[Daka]

I remember people saying he will be better than Daniel Rioli

17

Daniel Rioli

Age

27

Ht

179cm

Wt

78kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.2

3star

K

5.8

2star

HB

5.4

4star

M

2.7

3star

T

3.2

5star

MG

179.2

3star

D

8.1

2star

K

4.9

2star

HB

3.3

2star

M

2.0

2star

T

2.6

4star

MG

144.9

3star

D

9.0

3star

K

3.8

2star

HB

5.2

4star

M

0.8

1star

T

3.8

5star

MG

160.2

3star

, I never believed it... people get too hyped up over a son of a legend.
I didn't know much about his junior career other than a couple of highlights but the fact he went fairly late in draft night told me he wasn't talented as Daniel.

 

[beema limapep]

Pathetic opinion, keeping positive on one of our young players. He has many negative comments, so no harm on something that’s positive.

No harm indeed. But it's whether the positive comments are accurate and true which matters rather than balance for the sake of balance.

Negative comments are true if the subject matter is in fact negative

As was once said:-



The same can't be said for making comments purely to balance the truth if they are positive and false.

 

[Coach_Required]

All i can say is at least we gave it a try with Maurice, would have been worse if Essendon did get him and we would be doing a what if.

I reckon he already knows he only has this season left, would be hard to deal with considering who his dad was.

 

[Madtiger2006]

Only a practice match. Had a bit of a shocker

 

[one eyedtiger]

I wouldn't be writing for the eulogy for MRJ just yet, it's a long season. For those saying he needs to get the ball more to have an impact, I disagree. He is a low disposal high impact sort of player IMO. Force turnovers with pace, pressure and tackling. When he does get the ball in hand I agree, he clearly needs to work on taking the easy option. Knowing your limits is key to making it any field, especially in elite sport.

You can see he plays on instinct when he doesn't have the ball, he gets to the right spots, chases, tackles and pressures really well. When he gets possession you can see the moment he starts to overthink and isn't playing on instinct anymore, it inevitably leads to a poor decision. I'm not sure if that was always the case, or the overthinking has been coached into him. 2022 he seemed to do quite well playing on instinct and he had a more than useful season.

I think the most concerning thing is that he turned up yet again in less than ideal condition to start pre-season. I'm sure that's probably the clubs biggest concern too, that he doesn't take his preparation and his professionalism seriously enough.

He needs to have a big year on the field, and to start pre-season he was behind the 8-ball was far from ideal. Hopefully the new coaching staff/new system can help him rediscover some of his 2022 form. Because when he is on he can be a real asset. The ball is in his court firmly, work hard and show you belong.

 

[Coach_Required]

I wouldn't be writing for the eulogy for MRJ just yet, it's a long season. For those saying he needs to get the ball more to have an impact, I disagree. He is a low disposal high impact sort of player IMO. Force turnovers with pace, pressure and tackling. When he does get the ball in hand I agree, he clearly needs to work on taking the easy option. Knowing your limits is key to making it any field, especially in elite sport.

You can see he plays on instinct when he doesn't have the ball, he gets to the right spots, chases, tackles and pressures really well. When he gets possession you can see the moment he starts to overthink and isn't playing on instinct anymore, it inevitably leads to a poor decision. I'm not sure if that was always the case, or the overthinking has been coached into him. 2022 he seemed to do quite well playing on instinct and he had a more than useful season.

I think the most concerning thing is that he turned up yet again in less than ideal condition to start pre-season. I'm sure that's probably the clubs biggest concern too, that he doesn't take his preparation and his professionalism seriously enough.

He needs to have a big year on the field, and to start pre-season he was behind the 8-ball was far from ideal. Hopefully the new coaching staff/new system can help him rediscover some of his 2022 form. Because when he is on he can be a real asset. The ball is in his court firmly, work hard and show you belong.

If he can average 1 goal a game and help create goals with his tackling chase down abilities, then I think the majority of Richmond fans would be reasonably happy with that. Unfortunately, he doesn't even look like he could get 0.5 goals a game. We all want him to succeed but just not sure if that's even realistic anymore.

 

[lizard man]

I’m not happy either about him not coming back in good shape again but I think leave him in the vfl for the first half of the year and see how he responds in the second half at afl level ….. his response will be very telling to what his future prospects will be one way or another

 

[sregit]

I’m not happy either about him not coming back in good shape again but I think leave him in the vfl for the first half of the year and see how he responds in the second half at afl level ….. his response will be very telling to what his future prospects will be one way or another

I would send him out with a dietitian and a fitness coach and not allow him to train at the club until he came back in great condition. Step up or truck off. At the moment he can be placed in the spud category. Its a bad example giving him game time when he clearly isn’t committed enough to get in prime condition. No more excuses, step up or piss off.

 

[richoplzbreed]

It would be nice if he could be a 1/2 decent player who justifies selection and earns his spot. From what I've seen so far he's not even VFL standard. I'll fu@ken spew if he's one of those lazy players who pull their finger out and play well then get a new contract and take the foot off the accelerator til next out of contract year.


Would be nice to be proven wrong with MRJ but I just don't see how someone who averages 2-3 effective disposals a game whilst his opponent eviscerates us on the rebound racking up 20-30 and 600m+ gained every week.

 

[Rocco sifreddi]

I would be picking Coultard or Green ahead of him, haven't seen any improvement going off practice match form, atleast now we have small forward options .

 

[Drunken Wookie]

I would be picking Coultard or Green ahead of him, haven't seen any improvement going off practice match form, atleast now we have small forward options .

Can only assume he's jumped the queue in an effort by selectors to try and compensate for the lack of pace they've fielded around him.

It's mind blowing how far just having wheels will get you because he's literally got nothing else to his game. We might as well start cat b'ing sprinters if that's our criteria for small forwards.

 

[Muddiemoose]

Can only assume he's jumped the queue in an effort by selectors to try and compensate for the lack of pace they've fielded around him.

It's mind blowing how far just having wheels will get you because he's literally got nothing else to his game. We might as well start cat b'ing sprinters if that's our criteria for small forwards.

Like most I do find his selection a little bit eyebrow raising but at the same time if we look back at how he played in 2022 he showed that he is absolutely capable of changing our entire forward dynamic

 

[Sir_Rancelot]

Just play MJR in the midfield.

 

[bc27]

Baffled.

 

[bc27]

Just play MJR in the midfield.

Has absolutely nowhere near the tank to play any meaningful minutes at afl level in the midfield I’m sorry.

 

[RockJobster0312]

Very surprised he got the nod over Steely Green. The pecking order based on the practice games had him maybe fourth or fifth in line.

Trying to justify the selection, what I would say is that he did run from the forward line at Centre bounces to put pressure on the contest in the VFL match against Collingwood.

As the BigFooty Tigercast spoke about, pace in the middle is going to be an on going concern. That is one tactic to curtail that.

I wonder if Dusty was available, Shai would play that role. Now that Dusty is out Shai spends more time in the middle and Rioli plays that role better than Green?

Also wonder if Sonsie wasn’t suspended, and Clarke and Coulthard weren’t coming back from injury has MRJ as last man standing.

Up to him to grasp a surprising opportunity.

 

[Coach_Required]

Sad thing is we already know what will happen this weekend. He will run around the out skirts of where the ball is when we are pushing forward, he will then make last minute runs at opposition players with a few tackles when we lose possession. He won't kick any goals.

 

[Hank Heavenly]

Just play MJR in the midfield.

for 3-4 min bursts yes, I'm all for this

 

[tunksy]

Just play MJR in the midfield.

Maybe once Prestia retires

 

[Karp3_dm]

Clearly the coaching staff are seeing something we aren’t and by god I hope he turns it on cos he has amazing attributes and could be a surprise gun if it clicks

Praying it does vs Suns

 

[Hank Heavenly]

Clearly the coaching staff are seeing something we aren’t and by god I hope he turns it on cos he has amazing attributes and could be a surprise gun if it clicks

Praying it does vs Suns

imagine if he plays on Alex Sexton, who has just turned defender.... will have a field day

 

[Michaels]

Mark my words** he has been picked to add much much needed speed and a defensive edge into some centre bounces.

That is where I see his best value for us because our midfield mix is way off currently. I actually suggested this very move Monday night.

If he is in there doing that he doesn't need to fill the kick / handball column IMO, he just needs to stop Touk Miller

11

Touk Miller

Age

28

Ht

178cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

21.7

5star

K

9.5

4star

HB

12.3

5star

M

3.7

4star

T

5.4

5star

CL

4.2

5star

D

22.0

5star

K

11.4

4star

HB

10.6

5star

M

2.9

3star

T

4.8

5star

CL

4.1

5star

D

17.8

5star

K

5.8

3star

HB

12.0

5star

M

3.0

3star

T

3.8

5star

CL

3.0

5star

waltzing out of the middle with the ball in hand under no pressure.


** By mark my words I mean, I really really hope that is why he is in the side.