Wilson Critiques AFL’s ‘Worst Performance’ in Years Amidst Concerns Over Willie Rioli’s Future in the Game

Caroline Wilson has sharply criticised the AFL’s approach to the Willie Rioli matter, calling it the ‘most poorly managed’ incident during Andrew Dillon’s tenure as CEO.

Rioli was handed a retrospective one-match ban after various instances of threatening behaviour on the field emerged over the week. This followed the AFL’s decision not to penalise the Port Adelaide forward for reportedly sending a menacing text message to Western Bulldogs player Bailey Dale.

However, the 29-year-old had already opted out of the Showdown in round nine before the suspension was announced.

Wilson expressed concerns that AFL clubs are genuinely worried that Rioli may not return to the sport after his next visit to his home in the Tiwi Islands.

“This week has showcased, in my view, the most inadequate performance from the Andrew Dillon administration since it took over,” Wilson stated on 3AW.

“This includes Andrew Dillon, (football operations chief) Laura Kane, and (general counsel) Stephen Meade – I’m unsure where (EGM social inclusion) Tanya Hosch has been; has she been kept quiet?

“Reflecting on Gillon McLachlan’s era, the one true blemish was concerning Adam Goodes. He remains distanced from the game, hasn’t attended a Brownlow Medal, and has no desire for footy anymore. It’s heartbreaking.

“Willie Rioli faces more severe challenges off the field than Goodes did, yet if we lose Willie Rioli, and there is a real fear that if he returns to the Tiwi Islands in the coming weeks or during the bye he’ll never come back, that responsibility lies with all of us.

“I think the media coverage of this week’s events has been quite questionable from certain outlets.

“The initial choice not to fine or punish Rioli was a clear blunder, but if they opted not to penalise him then, why impose a one-game suspension following the release of two instances of his on-field threats that likely occur during matches all the time?

“The integrity department of the AFL is slow, unwieldy, and frankly, laughable. When I mention the integrity department, I’m likely referring more to their legal counsel as well.

“Was there any effort made to investigate what has been said to Rioli that may have triggered this? While it may not be outright racism, there are certainly racial undertones. I believe Andrew Dillon and Laura Kane should feel ashamed.

“Where is the Indigenous perspective? I feel embarrassment for the AFL.”

Port Adelaide’s football boss, Chris Davies, noted that the insults directed at Rioli from opposing players concerning his weight and alleged past drug use, while not necessarily intended as racist, can be perceived as such when viewed in a broader context.

“Firstly, it’s crucial to state that Willie has acknowledged and expressed regret for sending the text message after the match,” Davies told 3AW.

“(And I am not) implying that in the two highlighted instances anything said was necessarily perceived as racist, but the comments regarding weight and drug use are two matters that Willie has to contend with regularly.

“My query to you is, if someone has faced abuse throughout their life due to being overweight, and part of that conversation has involved their cultural dietary habits, would you expect that the next time that individual is called overweight, they might link that back to their past experiences?

“Regarding the marijuana use… would you consider remarks like ‘go and smoke drugs with your mates’; is that something which, if prevalent in a community, might carry more weight for the person hearing it?”

Davies refrained from confirming whether these issues were directly related to the specific incidents.

“Such occurrences have happened on the field progressively over time. I’m not asserting that these incidents are specific (to that). It would be hard to believe that Willie hasn’t experienced such remarks throughout his life, even within the AFL,” he remarked.

“I can’t envision anyone being surprised that Willie regularly informs us about these incidents.

“Earlier this week, Andrew Dillon asked everyone to be open about these issues. While it’s a commendable idea, dealing with it practically will likely be more challenging than he anticipates, and we need to devise more effective ways to manage this in the future.”