Player Watch #17 Maurice Rioli Jnr Re-Signed 2026

[richoplzbreed]

WILL

If MRJ can build his tank, he could be a replacement for Prestia, seems to be lost in the forward line. I'm not willing to give up on him yet. As he is still only a couple of years into his career. If he showed nothing in regards to midfield, I would say let him go, but was impressed with his games in the VFL when he was moved into the middle.

Will Martyn won a Magoo's BnF in the midfield without getting a chance to replicate in the seniors. MRJ played a couple of good games in Magoo's in amongst 15+ putrid games across all levels yet people pump him up because of his surname.

 

[Groupie_]

delist

 

[tunksy]

delist

he cant be far off it.

Still contracted for another year I think.

 

[DoItForCaptBlood]

he cant be far off it.

Still contracted for another year I think.

Seems a long way off it from impact in games. I haven't seen his goal assists , but he certainly is not doing anything in terms of scoring himself. At least George had scoring impact.... albeit 1.5.

 

[SunshineBoy]

dud delist

EFA

 

[Turka]

Maurice Rioli Senior is in the top 5 players I’ve seen…He could not be tackled, but he’d kill you with his…Beautiful left shoe, smart, he’d go to another level in the last quarter…No one knew how… He wasn’t a fanatic on the track…Just a freak…But it’s a different time now, Junior probably needs to get a tank…Not sure you can teach that…

 

[Meteoric Rise]

Maurice Rioli Senior is in the top 5 players I’ve seen…He could not be tackled, but he’d kill you with his…Beautiful left shoe, smart, he’d go to another level in the last quarter…No one knew how… He wasn’t a fanatic on the track…Just a freak…But it’s a different time now, Junior probably needs to get a tank…Not sure you can teach that…

Pretty sure his old man didn't fire until he was about 21. Maurice is just short of that.

 

[Punt Road Feral]

Personally I’m writing his year off due to his persistent soft tissue injuries.

I could be way off the mark here but I feel that MRJ was always that 5% off this year and that’s due to playing catch up post rehab once he got the injuries.
It takes time to get back to 100% explosiveness post injury and he never got there in 2023.

If he has an injury free off season and keeps himself in good nick I can see him improving his game where his kicking efficiency improves, tackle numbers go up and he wins more of the ball.

Anyone whose done soft tissue injuries will know how your game drops that 5-10% once you return from rehab.

 

[Vassp]

NOT showing much form.

 

[tunksy]

Personally I’m writing his year off due to his persistent soft tissue injuries.

I could be way off the mark here but I feel that MRJ was always that 5% off this year and that’s due to playing catch up post rehab once he got the injuries.
It takes time to get back to 100% explosiveness post injury and he never got there in 2023.

If he has an injury free off season and keeps himself in good nick I can see him improving his game where his kicking efficiency improves, tackle numbers go up and he wins more of the ball.

Anyone whose done soft tissue injuries will know how your game drops that 5-10% once you return from rehab.

I’ll put it down to him not showing up to pre season on good shape. Was immediately behind the 8 ball then.

 

[Groupie_]

if he drops 10 kilo he could make it

 

[peternorth]

Think it’s his birthday

 

[richoplzbreed]

Personally I’m writing his year off due to his persistent soft tissue injuries.

I could be way off the mark here but I feel that MRJ was always that 5% off this year and that’s due to playing catch up post rehab once he got the injuries.
It takes time to get back to 100% explosiveness post injury and he never got there in 2023.

If he has an injury free off season and keeps himself in good nick I can see him improving his game where his kicking efficiency improves, tackle numbers go up and he wins more of the ball.

Anyone whose done soft tissue injuries will know how your game drops that 5-10% once you return from rehab.

Ok so he played poorly the 2 preseason games, then also rounds 1- 3, then was dropped round 4 stunk it up in the Magoo's, promoted on the back of that played rounds 5-6 then got injured....so he played 8 dreadful games PRIOR to injury. So pretty way off. It's ok though his last names Rioli just like Tubby uncle Dean he'll be held to a lower acceptable standard.

Someone with his playing output this year should be feeling the pressure of being uncontacted next year and setting the alarm for jogs and watching the waistline this offseason, and sweating on backup career plans. But i'm tipping he'll slip back into island life and too much turtle meat and magpie gueese. Even if he tanks at Punt Rd another club will be seduced by his surname and offer him a lifeline.

 

[jc12]

WILL

Will Martyn won a Magoo's BnF in the midfield without getting a chance to replicate in the seniors. MRJ played a couple of good games in Magoo's in amongst 15+ putrid games across all levels yet people pump him up because of his surname.

He's had one poor year this season after a solid one the year before and ppl want him delisted. He is also very young still.You guys are literally cooked

 

[Groupie_]

already 3 years into his career

4th year next year and hasnt shown anything but tackling every 4th week

 

[barracoutta]

So what do you do? 12 months to go on contract, trade for probably at best a late second round or hold and see what he can produce next year under a new coach and new opportunities?

 

[tunksy]

So what do you do? 12 months to go on contract, trade for probably at best a late second round or hold and see what he can produce next year under a new coach and new opportunities?

You hold. Back him in to learn from this year.

If he shows no progress next year you’d assume the writing would be on the wall.

 

[energyquant]

So what do you do? 12 months to go on contract, trade for probably at best a late second round or hold and see what he can produce next year under a new coach and new opportunities?

 

[Coach_Required]

I'd tell him he is playing in the VFL for the year in a different role, if he shows improvement, he gets a contract extension but if he doesn't show improvement in the VFL it will be time to part ways.

 

[Grechy]

Needs another year or two. Too early to write off but doesn't have any stand out attributes which is the worry.

 

[TiggerDK]

Just doesn’t show a lot of skill with the ball in hand the few times he gets it.
Only runs hard when he thinks he can snipe a spectacular tackle, and then he’s knackered due to lack of fitness.
There’s no magic.

 

[TigerImposter]

I think the turning point of the last game was when he went off. We really lost that tackling pressure and then the usual plodders let us down. I’d delist or trade Pickett Kmac Grimes JGTI and Hopper before this guy as he’s a valuable commodity for us moving forward. Pace and defensive pressure is rarer than hens teeth on our list.

 

[Meteoric Rise]

Needs another year or two. Too early to write off but doesn't have any stand out attributes which is the worry.

Apart from his dazzling speed and great turnover inducing pressure and tackling you mean.

A few people on here would do well to remind themselves what this guy actually has got:

 

[Drunken Wookie]

Apart from his dazzling speed and great turnover inducing pressure and tackling tackle you mean.

A few people on here would do well to remind themselves what this guy actually has got:

didnt do any of that all year because he got way ahead of himself and came back from the off season with about 10kg of extra padding. needs a massive preseason to find that burst speed again and hopefully crack the midfield.

 

[Meteoric Rise]

didnt do any of that all year because he got way ahead of himself and came back from the off season with about 10kg of extra padding. needs a massive preseason to find that burst speed again and hopefully crack the midfield.

Definitely had a disappointing 2023, but even then he showed glimpses of what he can do. This kid can really solve problems for us. You would not see a more natural chaser and tackler. He has serious wheels as well when he gets wound up. He will only add to his game and improve if he applies himself and gets his hamstrings sorted out. Some young players who get criticised I am less sure about, but Maurice to me is a 150+ gamer if he gets a fair run at it.