Another Rioli follows Cyril's path to the AFLMarc McGowan
AFL.com.au
Feb 7, 2018 6:10PMTHE POTENTIAL next Rioli in the AFL is taking his cousin Cyril's route to the big time.
Maurice Rioli jnr, son of Richmond's late 1982 Norm Smith medallist, is in his second week at Scotch College, the exclusive private school his cousins Cyril and Shannon both attended.
The 15-year-old's uncle, Essendon 100-gamer Dean Rioli, and Shannon, who captains Northern Territory Thunder in the NEAFL, organised his move from the Tiwi Islands to Melbourne.
Cyril Rioli was just 14 when he began boarding at Scotch, and his AFL haul so far includes 185 games, winning the 2015 Norm Smith Medal and playing in four premierships with Hawthorn.
Those in the know suggest right-footed Rioli jnr is tracking similarly to Cyril at the same age in the way he attacks the football and takes the game on.
Maurice Rioli snr played 118 games for Richmond and 168 for WAFL club South Fremantle, making his son eligible to join either the Tigers or Fremantle as a father-son selection in 2020.
Fremantle has access to the sons of ex-WAFL footballers who played at least 150 times for East Fremantle, South Fremantle, Perth or Swan Districts before the Dockers joined the AFL in 1995.
Essendon has rights to Rioli jnr, too, as part of its Next Generation Academy zone, which includes the Tiwi Islands.
But it is Richmond's race to lose, with the skilful forward-midfielder extremely close to his cousin and Tigers premiership player Daniel Rioli, who went to Ballarat's St Patrick's College.
Rioli jnr, who turns 16 in September, is yet to train at the Tigers, but makes regular appearances at Punt Rd to see Daniel and watch the reigning premiers.
Richmond list manager Blair Hartley has kept close tabs on his progress.
The talented teenager, who impressed at last year's AFL Under-16 Championships, is also related to West Coast forward Willie Rioli, St Kilda's Ben Long and Bomber Jake Long.
Rioli jnr made his senior football debut for St Mary's in October, with Cyril watching from the stands, and played his seventh and most recent match on January 20 before relocating to Melbourne.
He will play school football for Scotch College this year and again represent the NT at national under-16 level.
Maurice Rioli jnr in action for St Mary's. Picture: Keri Megelus/NT Newshttp://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-02-07/another-rioli-follows-cyrils-path-to-the-afl
