Daniel Rioli facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Daniel Rioli |
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Rioli with Richmond in March 2017
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| Personal information | |||
| Date of birth | 16 April 1997 | ||
| Place of birth | Fremantle, Western Australia | ||
| Original team | North Ballarat Rebels (TAC Cup)/St Marys (NTFL)/East Point Football Club | ||
| Draft | No. 15, 2015 national draft | ||
| Debut | Round 1, 2016, Richmond v. Carlton, at MCG |
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| Position(s) | Half-back | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Gold Coast | ||
| Number | 17 | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Daniel Rioli (born 16 April 1997) is a professional Australian rules football player. He currently plays for the Gold Coast Suns in the Australian Football League (AFL). Before joining Gold Coast in 2024, Daniel was a three-time premiership winner with the Richmond team. In 2017, he also won the award for the AFL's Goal of the Year.
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Daniel Rioli's Early Life and Junior Football Career
Daniel Rioli was born in Fremantle, Western Australia. He grew up in Pirlangimpi on Melville Island. This island is part of the Tiwi Islands in the Northern Territory.
Starting Football in the Northern Territory
Daniel first went to high school at St John's Catholic College in Darwin. He played football for the St Mary's Football Club. This team is part of the Northern Territory Football League.
Moving to Victoria for School and Football
When Daniel was 14, he moved to Victoria. He lived at St Patricks College in Ballarat. In 2015, he helped his school team win the state schools championship.
That same year, he played nine games for the North Ballarat Rebels. This was in the TAC Cup competition. In one game, he kicked four goals against the Geelong Falcons.
Playing for the Northern Territory Team
Daniel also played for the Northern Territory team in the 2015 Under-18 championships. He played three games for them. Later, he played for the Under-18s Allies team. In a special game before the 2015 AFL Grand Final, he kicked four goals.
Impressive Skills at the Draft Combine
At the 2015 Draft Combine, Daniel showed off his speed. He finished second in the 20-meter sprint. He was also first in the 30-meter repeat sprint tests.
Daniel Rioli's AFL Career Highlights
Daniel Rioli was chosen by Richmond in the 2015 AFL draft. He was the 15th player picked overall.
2016: First Year in the AFL
Daniel played his first AFL game in Round 1 of the 2016 AFL season. His team, Richmond, won against their rivals Carlton at the MCG. He kicked his first goal in Round 3.
He played 18 games in his first season and kicked 13 goals. He was nominated for the 2016 AFL Rising Star award. This award recognizes the best young players. Richmond also gave him the Cosgrove-Jenkins Award as their best first-year player.
2017: Premiership Success and Goal of the Year
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Daniel was a key player in Richmond's strong start to the 2017 season. He worked well with other small forwards, Jason Castagna and Dan Butler. Together, they kicked many goals and put pressure on opponents.
In Round 3, Daniel kicked an amazing goal from the boundary line. This goal later won him the AFL Goal of the Year award. His coach, Damien Hardwick, even said Daniel might play in the midfield in the future.
Daniel played in his first AFL final in 2017. He then kicked a career-high four goals in the preliminary final. This helped Richmond reach their first Grand Final since 1982. In the Grand Final, Richmond won by 48 points against Adelaide. Daniel became a premiership player! However, he broke his foot during the game and needed surgery.
At the end of the season, Daniel was named in the AFL Players' Association's 22 Under 22 team. This team features the best young players in the league.
2018: Returning from Injury and Strong Performance
Daniel missed the start of the 2018 season due to his foot injury. He had a second surgery to remove metal plates. He worked hard to get back to full fitness.
He returned to play in Round 13. He quickly showed his skill, setting a new career-high with eight tackles. He also kicked a season-best three goals in a close game against Greater Western Sydney.
Daniel played his 50th AFL match in Round 20. He finished the season having played 12 games. He also set new personal bests for goals, disposals (getting the ball), marks (catching the ball), and tackles per game. Richmond won the minor premiership, but they lost in the preliminary final.
2019: Another Premiership Win
Daniel trained as a part-time midfielder before the 2019 season. He kicked three goals in Round 3 but got bruised ribs. He missed one game to recover.
He returned for the Dreamtime at the 'G match in Round 10. He wore a special guernsey (jersey) that he designed with his parents. It showed images important to his family and the Tiwi Islands.
Richmond had a great season, winning the qualifying final against Brisbane Lions. Daniel kicked two goals in that game. He then played in the preliminary final win against Geelong. In the Grand Final against Greater Western Sydney, Daniel was praised for his work in the forward half. Richmond won by 89 points, and Daniel earned his second premiership in three years!
2020: Third Premiership in a Row
Daniel played well in the first game of the 2020 season, kicking three goals. This season was shorter due to the coronavirus pandemic. Games were also played with shorter quarters.
He was dropped from the team for a couple of games but quickly returned. In Round 13, he played in the special Dreamtime in Darwin match. This was his first AFL game in his home, the Northern Territory. He had 16 disposals and kicked a goal.
Daniel played in all the finals games. He helped Richmond win the preliminary final against Port Adelaide. The following week, he became Richmond's youngest player to win three premierships in a row! Richmond won the Grand Final against Geelong by 31 points. He played 18 games out of a possible 21 that year.
2021: New Role in Defence
Daniel had an ankle injury during the 2021 pre-season but recovered to play. He was sometimes used as a medical substitute.
In May, Daniel was involved in an incident at a nightclub. He was punched after confronting someone for inappropriate behavior towards his girlfriend. He was cleared to play and even kicked the winning goal in the next game.
Later in the season, Daniel started playing a new role as a half-back. This means he played in defence, helping to move the ball out of the backline. He did very well in this new position. He played 19 games in 2021.
2024: Moving to Gold Coast
After the 2024 AFL season, Daniel Rioli asked to be traded to the Gold Coast Suns. He joined the Suns on the last day of the trade period. This meant he reunited with his former coach, Damien Hardwick, who also moved to Gold Coast.
Daniel Rioli's Player Style
Daniel Rioli is known for playing as a rebounding half-back. This means he is good at getting the ball from defence and quickly moving it forward. He is very fast and can sprint with the ball.
For the first five and a half years of his career, Daniel played as a defensive small forward. In this role, he was excellent at putting pressure on the opposing team's defenders. He was also good at causing them to make mistakes, which led to scoring opportunities for his team.
Honours and Achievements
Team Awards
- 3× AFL premiership player: 2017, 2019, 2020
- McClelland Trophy (Richmond): 2018 (This award is for the team that finishes first on the ladder after the regular season.)
Individual Awards
- Jack Dyer Medal: 2024 (This is Richmond's award for their best and fairest player.)
- 22under22 team: 2017 (Recognizes the best young players in the league.)
- AFL Goal of the Year: 2017
- AFL Rising Star nominee: 2016 (Nominated as one of the best young players.)
Daniel Rioli's Family Life
Daniel Rioli comes from a famous football family from the Tiwi Islands. His great-grandfather, Cyril Kalippa Rioli, was the leader of this family. His grandfather, Sebastian 'Sibby' Rioli, was also a great footballer. Daniel's father, Bradley Rioli, played football too.
Daniel is the fourth person from the Rioli family to play in the AFL. His uncles, Dean and Maurice, and his cousin Cyril, all played before him. His older cousin Willie Rioli also joined the AFL in 2018. Daniel is also related to former Essendon player Michael Long and his son Jake, and nephew Ben.
When Daniel first started his AFL career, he lived with his coach, Damien Hardwick, and his family for two years. In 2018, he started dating Mia Fevola, whose father, Brendan Fevola, was also a famous AFL player. They announced their separation in 2020.
