AFL still pondering sanctions for Rioli over threats
Oliver Caffrey |
The AFL is considering sanctioning Willie Rioli after meeting with the besieged Port Adelaide forward amid two more reports of alleged threats against rival players.
The saga is likely to be finalised on Thursday, with Rioli in doubt for Saturday night’s Showdown against Adelaide even if he escapes suspension from the league.
Power football boss Chris Davies said it hadn’t been an easy time for Rioli but he knew he needed to front up and answer questions (from the AFL) and do whatever he could to move the situation forward.
“With what he’s gone through in the last 24 hours, not taking away from the fact that we’re dealing with a real issue here, it’s fair that he will see how he goes after training (to decide if he plays against the Crows),” Davies said.
“We’ll continue to try and support him as much as we can, if that means pulling him out of the game, then we’ll do that.”
Along with the Western Bulldogs, both Essendon and Geelong have been dragged into the Rioli saga after it was revealed the 29-year-old used strong verbal threats during two games in the past 12 months.
Those incidents emerged following the AFL’s decision not to sanction Rioli for sending an intimidating private message about Bailey Dale to one of the Bulldogs defender’s teammates the day after a heated match in Ballarat on Saturday.
The league put out a brief statement on Monday, saying it had “reminded both clubs to ensure any communications remain respectful”.
But the AFL met with Rioli and Davies when the two other allegations came to light.
Earlier, Port president David Koch said the club was “incredibly angry” about the situation.
“We’ve talked pretty sternly to Willie about it and said it’s just not on,” Koch told 5AA Radio.
“I’m making absolutely no excuse for Willie’s private message after the game.
“But you can’t mix on-field and off-field comments or it will lead to places people don’t want to go.”
But Koch did stand up for Rioli and other Indigenous players at Port and in the AFL.
“You’ve got absolutely no idea what they go through, both on-field and off-field,” he said.
“The (racial) threats we receive as a club against our Indigenous players would just horrify you, and we see a responsibility to protect them in that situation as well.
“It’s a build-up of pressure and abuse that they’ve received and every individual handles that differently and that’s what we’ve got to take into account.
“There’s no excusing that, don’t get me wrong, but we have a duty to support the players.”
Essendon coach Brad Scott has been made aware of Rioli’s alleged threat towards an unnamed Bombers player, but declared it’s “not our issue, it’s a Port Adelaide and AFL issue”.
“Our players have zero concerns,” Scott said on Wednesday.
“Our players feel that whatever was said or done on the field against Port Adelaide should stay on the field, and we’re not interested in engaging beyond this.
“Clearly over the decades, expectations have quite rightfully changed in line with broader community expectations.
“The AFL have been industry, if not world leaders, in terms of tackling issues like racism.
“We absolutely know there is no space or place for racism on or off field.
“We play a combative sport, and I would expect our players to be combative, but I would expect them to do that within the realms of sportsmanship and also broader community expectations.”
AAP
