RookiePick
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Awful news for Willie and his family.
News Jnr Rioli - He’s back.
- Thread starter Biggie
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Looks like no Willie this week's game.
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Possibly explains why he’s looked pretty miserable recently.
Barrybran
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As in a known illness? 50 is very young these days.
Would’ve been something else. Apparently entirely unexpected.
Biggie
Eat better and exercise
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WILLIE RIOLI SNR – A CHAMPION:
Willie Rioli Snr was an excellent footballer.
While playing for St Marys, he won the Nichols Medal – the NTFL’s highest individual honour – at the age of 17.
Later that year, Rioli was off to the WAFL where he enjoyed an excellent 1989 season for South Fremantle.
In the Second Semi-Final, Rioli led allcomers with a 30-disposal, two-goal effort to help the Bulldogs qualify for that season’s grand final.
But despite his team-high two goals, South Fremantle were defeated by a powerful Claremont side at Subiaco Oval.
He had another quality season in the WAFL the following year and the only game I could find his statistics for was the Semi-Final, where the 18-year-old starred with 27 disposals and four goals.
Rioli was picked up by Hawthorn in the 1990 National Draft and played a season for the club’s reserves team.
He spent some more time at South Fremantle and had a highly decorated NTFL career that included a couple of premierships and representing the Territory.
Rioli would later give back to the game, spending time as the coach of the Tiwi Bombers Football Club and winning a premiership as coach of Tiwi Islands Football League club Imalu.
Many people would have great stories to share about Willie Rioli, both on and off the football field.
I didn’t know Willie well, but there is one memory.
In 2006, we were both at the Royal Darwin Hospital with footy injuries – I had a broken arm and I think he might have had a broken leg.
I knew who he was and wanted to say hello, but I was an awkward 13-year-old and too shy to talk to the great man.
Luckily, I was wearing my St Marys polo shirt, so I annoyingly lingered around where he was sitting waiting for his appointment.
Fortunately, that was enough to break the ice – he flicked me a smile and we had a great chat about footy.
RIP Willie Rioli Snr.
Willie Rioli Snr was an excellent footballer.
While playing for St Marys, he won the Nichols Medal – the NTFL’s highest individual honour – at the age of 17.
Later that year, Rioli was off to the WAFL where he enjoyed an excellent 1989 season for South Fremantle.
In the Second Semi-Final, Rioli led allcomers with a 30-disposal, two-goal effort to help the Bulldogs qualify for that season’s grand final.
But despite his team-high two goals, South Fremantle were defeated by a powerful Claremont side at Subiaco Oval.
He had another quality season in the WAFL the following year and the only game I could find his statistics for was the Semi-Final, where the 18-year-old starred with 27 disposals and four goals.
Rioli was picked up by Hawthorn in the 1990 National Draft and played a season for the club’s reserves team.
He spent some more time at South Fremantle and had a highly decorated NTFL career that included a couple of premierships and representing the Territory.
Rioli would later give back to the game, spending time as the coach of the Tiwi Bombers Football Club and winning a premiership as coach of Tiwi Islands Football League club Imalu.
Many people would have great stories to share about Willie Rioli, both on and off the football field.
I didn’t know Willie well, but there is one memory.
In 2006, we were both at the Royal Darwin Hospital with footy injuries – I had a broken arm and I think he might have had a broken leg.
I knew who he was and wanted to say hello, but I was an awkward 13-year-old and too shy to talk to the great man.
Luckily, I was wearing my St Marys polo shirt, so I annoyingly lingered around where he was sitting waiting for his appointment.
Fortunately, that was enough to break the ice – he flicked me a smile and we had a great chat about footy.
RIP Willie Rioli Snr.
kane249
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Maurice Rioli his older brother died of a heart attack at 53, sometimes it's just bad genetics
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awful news. dont think we will be seeing him for a while.
RIP.
Hawks have put a post up offering condolences and surprise surprise WC have done nothing.
Hawks have put a post up offering condolences and surprise surprise WC have done nothing.
OobiDoobi
Debutant
This sh*ts me, you don't think the club might be in consultation with Willie? Giving him some space / get his approval to post something on SM before just doing it? They're likely wanting to ensure they're respecting Willie, his family & his cultural guidelines when it comes to a death in the family. This happened with Peter Matera. The club waited until they had spoken to the family. This is just like journos, always wanting to be first with a story before ensuring its actually correct. Give them a break & be thankful they're respecting the Rioli family before rushing to post something and making sure it is fully respecting the family and the people of the Tiwis. It's a serious and sad occasion, not a race to post something on SM.
Yeah fair enough i was a bit harsh about it.
Unfortunately dying at 50 is not unusual in Aboriginal communities. It really is a national disgrace that this is tolerated.
“Aboriginal life expectancy
Aboriginal health standards in Australia let almost half of Aboriginal men and over a third of women die before they turn 45. At all ages, Aboriginal life expectancy is lower than for non-Aboriginal Australians.”
Source: Aboriginal life expectancy - Creative Spirits, retrieved from Aboriginal life expectancy
Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com
“Aboriginal life expectancy
Aboriginal health standards in Australia let almost half of Aboriginal men and over a third of women die before they turn 45. At all ages, Aboriginal life expectancy is lower than for non-Aboriginal Australians.”
Source: Aboriginal life expectancy - Creative Spirits, retrieved from Aboriginal life expectancy
Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com
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Poor Willie.
Won’t be back this year.
Watch this space for next year.
Won’t be back this year.
Watch this space for next year.
bh90210fan
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What makes you think he won't be back this year?
Because his father has just passed and he’s deeply connected to his family and culture?
He’ll need to weigh up life now. Which is 100% fair enough.
He’ll need to weigh up life now. Which is 100% fair enough.
He's not the first and won't be the last player who has lost a parent midseason.
Not sure many, if any have given the game away if that's what you're alluding to when you say he'll be weighing up life.
I would've thought getting well paid to play footy and being able to set him and his family up would be a decent enough reason to play on.
It’s Willie Rioli.
Like I said, watch this space.
I hope he’s back with the Eagles when he’s ready.
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