Universal Love Thanks Cyril, 11 amazing years, One of the greatest Hawks

[Dave Id]

Happy 29th birthday for Saturday week and thanks for all the memories.

Have my four Grand Final DVDs as highlight reels

 

[Gaston]

As my friends from Starship once said.
Cyril, Cyril, no time is a good time for goodbye.

 

[TAITA]

"In a world of statistical mumbo-jumbo and inflated numbers of worthless possessions, Cyril altered the course of most games he played in. His raw numbers had glitter sprinkled on them compared to the rest of his contemporaries."

A wonderful tribute from Bob Murphy.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/cyril-on-song-one-of-the-game-s-sweet-spots-20180704-p4zpf7.html

Thank you Cyriol - in an age when footy could be almost robotic, you bought joy to the game and the soul. Tempting as it is to say you will be sadly missed I prefer to think of how fondly you will be remembered.

 

[HolyRioli]

"In a world of statistical mumbo-jumbo and inflated numbers of worthless possessions, Cyril altered the course of most games he played in. His raw numbers had glitter sprinkled on them compared to the rest of his contemporaries."

A wonderful tribute from Bob Murphy.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/cyril-on-song-one-of-the-game-s-sweet-spots-20180704-p4zpf7.html

Thank you Cyriol - in an age when footy could be almost robotic, you bought joy to the game and the soul. Tempting as it is to say you will be sadly missed I prefer to think of how fondly you will be remembered.

Bob is a very good writer

 

[Ned Ryerson]

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl...rprise-to-hawks-clarkson-20180706-p4zpwa.html

Clarko's comments today on Cyril's retirement.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

http://www.hawthornfc.com.au/fans/message-to-cyril

Also a portal on the HFC website if you want to send your regards to the great man.

 

[badgrill]

http://www.hawthornfc.com.au/fans/message-to-cyril

Also a portal on the HFC website if you want to send your regards to the great man.

Done, thanks Ned

 

[Trouto]

He used to feast on the eagles like a vulture.

They'll be throwing a party at the news today.

On [device_name] using BigFooty.com mobile app

dont remind us! slayed us in 2015
great to watch when he wasnt playing against the Eagles though!

 

[SSSSSS]

The Ronaldinho of the AFL.

One of the last players before the sports-science mumbjumbo and coaching designed to destroy the natural instinct and flair of players and turn them into mindless running machines who can barely kick a ball. Cyril was none of that. Cyril was not the man to gut run for 120 minutes and pick up 30 touches, shanking half of them because he is an athlete first and footballer second. Cyril just needed a few touches to dismantle and defeat an opposition, just like Ronaldinho needs just one pass to slice through a defensive line.

Both players career was unfortunately short-lived for whatever reason. Rioli's body at times was his biggest enemy. Who knows what he could have been if his hamstrings held up. At one point I think he genuinely could have been the GOAT if he was able to transition into a midfield role. Cyril as a pure rover resting in the forward line makes me diamond just thinking about it. Luckily, we didn't need him to become the GOAT rover. We can always settle in Rioli being one of the greatest ever small forwards, not just at Hawthorn but in the history of the game.

Both players were absolute greats of the game. At the peak of their powers they put fear in the opposition. Were they the best players of their respective sports? Nope. They didn't have the machine like consistency of a Judd, Fyfe or an Ablett. But that is why Cyril is the greatest player to watch. He was the complete opposite of many of these players touted to be the 'best of the modern era'. He was unique, his flair and creativity was not yet coached out, he was raw skill, instinct and vision which is rare to be seen in football. He played with unbridled joy, his love for the game was pure and manifested in every position, goal he kicked and created. Every player coming through the draft is compared to others. We hear so many times, the next 'Riewoldt', 'Fyfe', 'Watson' etc. No one has ever been compared to be the next 'Rioli' and I doubt there ever will be.

I don't think we will see a player like Cyril again. Especially with the current modern coaching and sports-science based development of players. It's a shame, but I will never forget Cyril.

Not the best player ever but the best player to watch. Just like Dinho.

 

[vanders]

Many good articles written about Cyril. I particularly enjoyed this one from Jonathon Horn in The Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...h-a-killer-instinct-is-a-huge-loss-to-the-afl

Worth reading the comments also!

This article and what Clarko said in his press conference today have absolutely nailed it.

 

[vanders]

 

[MrPremiership]

Does Cyril already have kids?

Photo in HS today/yesterday with him and 2 kids after the 2015 GF with the caption saying they are his kids. Boy and a girl about 5 years old.

I didn't think he had kids

 

[TylerDurden]

Does Cyril already have kids?

Photo in HS today/yesterday with him and 2 kids after the 2015 GF with the caption saying they are his kids. Boy and a girl about 5 years old.

I didn't think he had kids

No kids yet.

 

[MrPremiership]

No kids yet.

So HS just got it plain wrong? (not unusual, but thats a major stuff up)

 

[MrPremiership]

photo attached

 

[Kil Phearns]

Great article from Tim Boyle in the Sunday Age:
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/cyril-rioli-the-conjurer-20180707-p4zq40.html

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

photo attached

What a joke of a publication.

 

[Flukey!]

Hawks are pumping out all manner of memorabilia on Cyril now.
Clearly they want to make his retirement as profitable as possible.

Some of the stuff is a bit tacky and devalues him a bit I think.

 

[MasterSamurai]

Wish Cyril gave a longer interview with Bruce. I mean, that’s it? He’s gonski just like that?

 

[DEECEE]

There are a lot of highlight packages up on YT atm. this is a ripper

forgot about the goal in the last minute against the swans. awesome

 

[Gralin]

Some of the stuff is a bit tacky and devalues him a bit I think.

Talking shit there, what the club and it's out doesn't devalue Cyril at all, it's not his fault and it doesn't change what he did on field

 

[LuckyHawk]

Talking shit there, what the club and it's out doesn't devalue Cyril at all, it's not his fault and it doesn't change what he did on field

Don't mind moderators accusing posters of writing shit but when that particular moderator (not you) was proven to
be 100% wrong he deletes his post as though it never happened. At least have the balls to own the post be it right
or wrong.

 

[eldorado]

Don't mind moderators accusing posters of writing shit but when that particular moderator (not you) was proven to
be 100% wrong he deletes his post as though it never happened. At least have the balls to own the post be it right
or wrong.

It was a campaigner of a comment, and unfair, so i deleted it, but it was deleted a day or two after posting, long before the news came out.

 

[LuckyHawk]

It was a campaigner of a comment, and unfair, so i deleted it, but it was deleted a day or two after posting, long before the news came out.

All good, thanks for clarifying.

 

[kranky al]

We kinda knew it might be coming, but now the hammer has fallen, I am shattered, absolutely shattered.

Im stunned - thought he had a couple of years left - why has he pulled the pin? Lost the passion?