Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has warned opposition players it won’t be wise to sledge Willie Rioli when he returns from suspension, and says it will be challenging for the AFL to be informed of every on- and off-field incident under the new approach taken by league headquarters.
Rioli will not play in Saturday night’s Showdown against Adelaide after the AFL handed him a one-match sanction on Thursday following three separate incidents involving alleged threatening behaviour.
Sidelined: Port Adelaide forward Willie Rioli will not face the Crows this weekend.Credit: Getty Images
The goal-kicking forward had earlier that day stepped away from the game anyway, also making a public apology for his actions.
As part of his sanctions, Rioli will undertake education about “respectful/non-violent language to be prescribed by the AFL”.
The Power hope Rioli can return to the field against Geelong next week, and Hinkley doubts any opponents will seek to play on the forward’s emotions.
“I would doubt that anyone would go there with the stance the AFL has put in place around comments said on the field,” Hinkley said on Friday.
“I just don’t think you would go there. Willie will get our support, as he always has, and Willie also has to learn. He knows that, and I think he has publicly said that himself. He has got to get better.”
When asked if that was a warning, Hinkley replied: “Would you take it as a warning? … I agree. I am just not sure where the boundaries are now with that stuff.”
The AFL was initially caught unaware when two of Rioli’s alleged past indiscretions came to light this week through the media, prompting the league to call on clubs to now report every on- and off-field incident they know about. But Hinkley said this would be tightrope.
“I think you are asking the questions based on you have some concerns around that, and I think that is reasonable around with what happened and has played out now,” he said.
Don’t try it: Power coach Ken Hinkley says opponents will not want to attempt to play on Willie Rioli’s emotions when the suspended forward returns to action.Credit: Getty Images
“I think it is going to be some area of concern I would have thought for the AFL.”
While Port and Rioli have accepted the ban, the Power also reminded people that Rioli had been subjected to racist remarks on several occasions.
“From my point of view, the most important thing is that Willie’s OK, and he’s under control,” Hinkley said.
The Power wrote to the AFL three weeks ago expressing concern that Rioli and other Indigenous players had “provoked” racist comments, an issue that the Power said was “deeply problematic”.
Power football department boss Chris Davies said on Friday that Rioli acknowledged his actions were “a step too far”, but there were also wider issues the league needed to address.
“I do think that the pile on from many, with regard to Willie, was over the top. And, you know, we tried to make that point in the club statement where we highlighted that, that we think that there’s some issues still to address within the AFL competition about how some incidents are portrayed from a media perspective,” Davies told the ABC.
“There are a number of situations that I feel over my time in the sport where there is an element of casual racism in some of those discussions. And, I think if the AFL are going to start to open the lid on incidents that happen on the field, that there’s more discussions to be had.”
The AFL did not punish Rioli when it emerged on Monday that he had sent an alleged threatening message to a Bulldogs player directed to that player’s teammate, Bailey Dale, after last weekend’s game.
The Power did not accuse Dale of making any racist comments. Rioli apologised privately to Dale on Monday.
The case was reopened after it was revealed there had been two other alleged incidents involving Rioli.
Davies said he expected Rioli to return to the field.
“He’s quite a resilient character, more than any Aboriginal player that I’ve ever dealt with,” Davies said.
“He seems to be a beacon for not just casual racism, but direct racism through whether it be over the fence, whether it be via social media, or sometimes when he’s just walking in the street. So the reality is, you know, he’s copping a fair amount.”
Rioli trained on Wednesday but did not take part in the captain’s run on Friday.
