Herald Sun chief football writer Mark Robinson says he can understand why West Coast would be so disappointed about Junior Rioli’s trade request after supporting him through a turbulent time.
But Rioli’s 2018 premiership teammate Will Schofield believes the gun forward’s wish can’t be held against him considering the tough circumstances he’s faced recently.
The Eagles on Tuesday night were left “bitterly disappointed” after Rioli informed the club of his desire to join Port Adelaide via a trade.
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Subsequently, West Coast chief executive Trevor Nisbett released a sharp statement expressing his dissatisfaction after the Eagles supported Rioli during his two-year ban for substituting a urine sample ahead of the 2019 finals campaign.
“We could not have done any more to support Junior since his infraction in 2019,” Nisbett said. “We facilitated his appeal and subsequent return to football, so this decision is bitterly disappointing.
“We will put that disappointment to one side now and work to arrange a suitable trade for a player who has high end talent, is a premiership player and is in the prime of his career, having played just 51 games of senior football.
“Junior has made his decision and while he has indicated Port is his preferred destination we will work to get the best outcome for our club.”
It’s understood Port Adelaide has offered Rioli a four-year deal worth around $2 million in total.
But Rioli’s request comes after the passing of his father in July this year, with the premiership forward keen to return to South Australia to be closer to his mother.
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Speaking on Fox Footy’s AFL 360, Robinson said he could understand why the Eagles would feel hurt.
“Does he owe the Eagles? I’ve thought about this – I think he does,” Robinson told AFL 360.
“People will say: ‘Who are you to judge people’s character about what they need? He’s got to look after his family.’ I know that.
“But when he was on his bum, when he found himself stupidly tampering with a urine sample because he had marijuana in his system, the Eagles did not cave. The Eagles said ‘hey, come here, we’ll put our arm around you’.
“People will say ‘that’s their responsibility as a football club’ – no it’s not, they’re in the winning business. They put their arm around him, they paid him, ‘come back’, looked after him and then he goes through.
“I can absolutely see and understand Trevor Nisbett’s comments tonight.”
AFL 360 co-host Gerard Whateley added: “That is a two-way street. He was an asset that the Eagles valued and wanted to get back to football. It wasn’t just an act of kindness and humanitarianism.”
Schofield, who played in West Coast’s 2018 premiership alongside Rioli, said he had a “pretty balanced” view on the situation and, eventually, both parties should walk away “content”.
“You can certainly understand West Coast’s disappointment,” Schofield told Fox Sports News’ AFL Tonight. “They’ve put a lot of time, effort and support – I know that first-hand – behind Junior Rioli to get him through these last couple of years, not only in his footy career but in his life. It’s been an incredibly turbulent time for him, so they’re going to be disappointed, of course they are, he’s a good player and he wants to leave the club.
“But on the other hand, Junior Rioli is going through a tough time as well. He’s just lost his father, he’s at a point in his career where he may never have this opportunity again to sign a big deal – something that West Coast can’t offer him – and you can’t hold that against him. In the end it is a business.
“Both parties, I can see where they’re both coming from. There doesn’t have to be a right or wrong in this situation.
“I think West Coast will win in the end and maybe Junior Rioli gets to continue his career for a bit longer somewhere else.”
