Cyril Rioli facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cyril Rioli |
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Rioli playing for Hawthorn in April 2017
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Cyril Rioli | ||
| Nickname(s) | Junior | ||
| Date of birth | 14 July 1989 | ||
| Place of birth | Tiwi Islands, Australia | ||
| Original team | St Mary's (NTFL)/Scotch College(APS) | ||
| Draft | No. 12, 2007 national draft | ||
| Debut | Round 1, 2008, Hawthorn v. Melbourne, at Melbourne Cricket Ground |
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| Position(s) | Half forward flank | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Cyril Rioli (born 14 July 1989) is a retired Australian rules football player. He played for the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Rioli was a star player who helped his team win four premierships. He also won the Norm Smith Medal in the 2015 AFL Grand Final for being the best player on the field.
Rioli usually played as a forward pocket, a position close to the goal. He was known for making the most of every chance he got with the ball. He was famous for his incredible skill, speed, and ability to pressure other players.
Contents
Early Life and Football Journey
A Family of Football Stars
Cyril Rioli was born in 1989 on the Tiwi Islands. He comes from a family famous for producing amazing football players. His father, Cyril Jr., was a champion player in the Northern Territory. His uncle, Maurice Rioli, also won the Norm Smith Medal while playing for Richmond.
Another famous uncle is Michael Long, who won two premierships with Essendon. His cousin, Dean Rioli, was also a footballer. The Rioli family is one of the most well-known families in Australian football.
Moving to Melbourne
Rioli grew up on the Tiwi Islands and later moved to Darwin. When he was 14, he moved to Melbourne for a football scholarship at Scotch College. This was a big change for him, moving so far from home.
At first, he found it hard and wanted to go back. But with encouragement from his family, including his uncle Michael Long, he decided to stay. This decision was a turning point in his life.
While playing for his school, Rioli became known for his amazing skills. A video of his highlights on YouTube made him a popular young player. He was so good that he was chosen for the Under 18 All-Australian team, an honor given to the best young players in the country.
Getting Drafted into the AFL
Because of his talent, many AFL clubs were interested in him. In the 2007 AFL Draft, the Hawthorn Football Club chose him with the 12th overall pick. This was the beginning of his professional career in the AFL.
A Spectacular AFL Career
Rioli started his AFL career in 2008 and made an impact right away. He played in every single game in his first season. He was known for his tackling and pressure, which made it hard for other teams to score.
His first year ended in the best way possible. He played a key role in the 2008 AFL Grand Final, helping Hawthorn win the premiership. For a first-year player, this was an incredible achievement. He finished second in the AFL Rising Star award, which is given to the best young player of the year.
Becoming a Superstar
In 2009, Rioli continued to impress everyone. He was so skilled that people compared him to other great players. He won the AFL Goal of the Year award for an amazing goal he kicked against Essendon.
Over the next few years, Rioli became one of Hawthorn's most important players. He was known for his exciting style of play and his ability to do things no one else could. He was a key part of Hawthorn's success.
Years of Triumph and Challenges
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From 2013 to 2015, Hawthorn was the best team in the AFL, winning three Grand Finals in a row. Rioli was a huge part of this success. His best moment came in the 2015 AFL Grand Final. He played so well that he was awarded the Norm Smith Medal as the best player in the game. He dedicated the award to his cousin, Fabian Brock, who had recently passed away.
Rioli faced challenges with injuries during his career. In 2014, he missed most of the season but made a surprise return for the Grand Final. In 2017, a knee injury ended his season early.
In 2018, after dealing with more injuries and wanting to be with his family, Cyril Rioli announced his retirement from football. He decided to move back to Darwin to be with his loved ones.
Personal Life
In 2014, Rioli married his childhood sweetheart, Shannyn Ah Sam. The wedding took place in the beautiful George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens.
Statistics
| G | Goals | B | Behinds | K | Kicks | H | Handballs | D | Disposals | M | Marks | T | Tackles |
| Season | Team | No. | Games | Totals | Averages (per game) | Votes | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | B | K | H | D | M | T | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | |||||
| 2008# | Hawthorn | 33 | 25 | 24 | 19 | 200 | 145 | 345 | 98 | 87 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 8.0 | 5.8 | 13.8 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 2 |
| 2009 | Hawthorn | 33 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 168 | 129 | 297 | 74 | 89 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 8.8 | 6.8 | 15.6 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 2 |
| 2010 | Hawthorn | 33 | 20 | 27 | 10 | 203 | 143 | 346 | 81 | 98 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 10.2 | 7.2 | 17.3 | 4.1 | 4.9 | 6 |
| 2011 | Hawthorn | 33 | 19 | 29 | 16 | 190 | 117 | 307 | 78 | 93 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 10.0 | 6.2 | 16.2 | 4.1 | 4.9 | 7 |
| 2012 | Hawthorn | 33 | 23 | 39 | 22 | 218 | 142 | 360 | 77 | 121 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 9.5 | 6.2 | 15.7 | 3.3 | 5.3 | 6 |
| 2013# | Hawthorn | 33 | 15 | 19 | 14 | 136 | 89 | 225 | 51 | 63 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 9.1 | 5.9 | 15.0 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 5 |
| 2014# | Hawthorn | 33 | 12 | 20 | 8 | 112 | 72 | 184 | 49 | 45 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 9.3 | 6.0 | 15.3 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 1 |
| 2015# | Hawthorn | 33 | 24 | 42 | 23 | 234 | 134 | 368 | 103 | 104 | 1.8 | 1 | 9.8 | 5.6 | 15.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 7 |
| 2016 | Hawthorn | 33 | 21 | 47 | 13 | 196 | 92 | 288 | 77 | 128 | 2.2 | 0.6 | 9.3 | 4.4 | 13.7 | 3.7 | 6.1 | 8 |
| 2017 | Hawthorn | 33 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 56 | 31 | 87 | 21 | 22 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 8.0 | 4.4 | 12.4 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 0 |
| 2018 | Hawthorn | 33 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 23 | 16 | 39 | 4 | 10 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 5.8 | 4.0 | 9.8 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 0 |
| Career | 189 | 275 | 155 | 1736 | 1110 | 2846 | 713 | 860 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 9.2 | 5.9 | 15.1 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 44 | ||
Honours and Achievements
Team
- 4× AFL premiership player (Hawthorn): 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015
- 2× Minor premiership (Hawthorn): 2012, 2013
Individual
- Norm Smith Medal: 2015
- 3× All-Australian team: 2012, 2015, 2016
- AFLCA Best Young Player: 2009
- AFL Goal of the Year: 2009
- Hawthorn best first year player (debut season): 2008
- AFL Rising Star nominee: 2008
- Under 18 All-Australian team: 2007
- 2× Indigenous All-Stars: 2007, 2009
- Northern Territory Team of the Century
- Hawthorn life member
