Willie Rioli responds to racist abuse

Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this story makes references to a person who has died.

UPDATE

Port Adelaide forward Willie Rioli has spoken publicly for the first time since taking leave from the club after he was subject to racist abuse online for a since-deleted Instagram post about his hatred for Hawthorn.

Speaking to Channel 9’s Braden Ingram outside of Alberton Oval, the 29-year-old said the blowback “comes with this industry”, but his disappointment stemmed from his family’s reaction to the racial slurs he received.

“I’m more hurt for my family back home, who read into that stuff. I don’t read into it,” Rioli said.

He also clarified that the deleted post reflected his own opinion, not that of his late father’s.

“My dad (was) a Hawks supporter, so it’s kind of my own personal opinion of the things I’ve heard, and the stuff I’ve heard from my close relatives and people that have been at the Hawks before.”

And he also confirmed that he reached out to Hawthorn coach and friend Sam Mitchell to say that he has no issues with members of the current team.

“I’m really close with Sammy Mitchell, I sent him an apology, I’m one of those raw people that just let my emotions sometimes get the best of me.”

He didn’t confirm if he would be taking the field on Sunday against Sydney, but he did note that his attitude towards the game won’t be changing.

“I’m one of those guys that play a bit old-school, a bit aggressively, (but) it doesn’t really show the person I really am.”

EARLIER

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has blasted the racist abuse that Willie Rioli has copped this week.

Rioli took leave from the club and deactivated his social media accounts after being subjected to racial slurs and abuse.

The forward was missing from training on Tuesday morning just 24 hours after a since-deleted Instagram post in which he expressed his hatred for Hawthorn went viral and drew sickening abuse.

“It’s a disgrace that racism still goes on in our world,” Hinkley told reporters.

“The way we talk about lots of things in society, yet that is still tolerated and still allowed to go on.

“None of us have the answer of what can be done better.

“Most commonsense people and really good people understand it’s a no-go zone and should be a no-go zone.

“But some fools in this world don’t change.

“Willie’s a brave young person. I just love him and the person he is, and the smile he brings to our footy club most days.

“It’s not a nice day when you know he’s not smiling. Willie’s ok, which is really important.

“It took a little bit of time for him to deal with what he was dealing with.

“Whatever he needed, we were there to help him.

“He’s gone through a lot and he’s a remarkable person. Not many people would be able to cope, I don’t think.”

Support from teammates

Rioli's teammate Joe Richards has touched upon the issue during a presser, stating that the club will wrap their arms around Rioli to support him amidst a range of disgusting abuse.

“I reached out to Willie just before and he is doing alright,” Richards said.

“But with the racism (the racist abuse) , it is just not acceptable. I can’t even imagine how he would be feeling right now and that goes for a lot of our First Nations players.

“I don’t stand for it at all, I feel for Willie and we will wrap our arms around him.

“I get along with Willie really well. He is a laidback character and brings a lot of energy to the group.

“He was missed today, a lot of the guys get along with him really well and he is a massive part of our group.

“He might be back tomorrow or the day after, but as long as his mental health is alright.”

What happened this week

On Monday morning, the Power forward cheekily showed the ball to Changkuoth Jiath as he kicked a goal late in Port’s 30-point win over the Hawks at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday night.

Jiath took offence to Rioli's actions and felled him in the goal square, resulting in a free kick and a simple second goal which essentially ended the contest.

Rioli reposted the AFL’s video of him on his Instagram story, accompanied with a scathing message.

“Play with fire, you’re gonna get burnt," he wrote.

"My hatred for this club goes way pass last year antics, what they did to my dad, and my brother, is why I can’t stand them. Not the players. #Cococlub.”

Rioli’s late father Willie Snr was drafted by the Hawks in 1990 but never played a senior game for the club.

His cousin Cyril - a Hawks legend - was the lead applicant in a lawsuit against Hawthorn which was settled in November.

The Hall of Fame speech

Tom Morris joined SEN Breakfast this morning to shed light on Rioli’s post and a referenced a function which may have added to his distain for Hawthorn.

Recalling a speech made at the Hall of Fame in 2024, Morris explained that what had been intended as a self-deprecating comment from Jason Dunstall had likely – and unintentionally - caused deep offence to Rioli as it referenced his late father during his time at Hawthorn.

“I was in the room, and I laughed at that story, and people who were on the vision laughed at it as well,” Morris said.

“You know Jason better than I do Garry (Lyon), but nevertheless, I've worked with him, and there's no doubt there was no malice involved in that whatsoever.

“But the way Willie Rioli took that was, ‘you're talking about my father, who's passed away, in a derogatory manner’, and that's part of the reason for him sending out the social message that he did yesterday.”

Garry Lyon agreed that while nobody wants to tell Willie Rioli how to feel, he was sure Dunstall meant no offence.

“It's not for us to tell Willie how to feel,” Lyon said. “That's the first thing that we make clear (but) what I do know is having known Jason for the best part of 30 years and worked really closely with him for 20 of them, that is him being self-deprecating and having a crack at himself.

“I can see how Willie Junior could take that and be upset by it, but Jason would be horrified to think that he was a source for some of his pain.”

In the hours after Rioli posted on Instagram, Port came out in support of their star.

“Willie Rioli and his family continue to carry deep-seated pain and sadness from past family experiences,” read the Power statement.

“Despite the depth of feeling Willie and his family have, social media was not the appropriate forum for Willie to share his emotions last night. Willie understands this.

“Willie’s welfare remains our priority and the club will continue to provide support for Willie and his family through this time.”