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Maurice Rioli

Richmond

AFL career

118 games80 goals

Debut
R2 1982 v FIT20 Mar 1982
Most recent
R22 1987 v BRB28 Aug 1987

Stats

1987
RCH
21
13.2
6.8
20.0
2.0
1.7
1.0
2.6
0.6
0.5
72
1986
RCH
12
11.0
4.8
15.8
2.7
1.0
0.9
-
0.4
0.4
-
1985
RCH
22
14.5
7.7
22.3
1.5
2.0
1.1
-
0.4
0.4
-
1984
RCH
20
13.6
7.3
20.8
2.1
2.0
2.0
-
0.8
0.6
-
1983
RCH
22
16.2
8.0
24.2
2.1
3.2
2.3
-
1.0
0.6
-
1982
RCH
21
13.7
7.7
21.4
2.3
2.4
2.5
-
0.9
0.4
-
League
Season
BRB
MCG
R22
13
5
18
2
0
0
0
0
0.0
55
NTH
MCG
R21
12
7
19
1
1
1
0
2
0.2
61
STK
WP
R20
23
4
27
2
3
0
0
3
1.2
106
MEL
MCG
R19
13
3
16
2
2
0
0
5
0.1
74
SYD
SCG
R18
18
9
27
4
1
2
0
4
0.0
95
COL
MCG
R17
15
9
24
2
2
2
0
3
1.0
83
ESS
WH
R16
7
5
12
2
1
1
0
0
1.0
41
HAW
PP
R15
14
9
23
2
1
2
0
0
0.0
61
WCE
MCG
R14
17
10
27
3
3
0
0
2
0.0
91
CAR
MCG
R13
5
1
6
0
1
1
0
0
0.0
15
FSC
WP
R12
10
8
18
0
5
0
0
1
0.1
56
FIT
PP
R11
12
8
20
2
3
1
0
3
1.1
77
GEE
MCG
R10
12
4
16
1
0
0
0
4
1.0
69
NTH
MCG
R9
8
1
9
0
1
0
0
5
0.1
48
BRB
Car
R8
17
5
22
4
2
0
0
2
1.0
89
STK
MO
R7
14
5
19
5
2
2
0
5
2.0
95
MEL
MCG
R6
16
11
27
3
3
1
0
2
0.1
88
SYD
MCG
R5
4
11
15
1
1
2
0
2
1.0
46
COL
WP
R4
12
10
22
2
0
3
0
8
1.0
91
HAW
MCG
R2
8
8
16
0
1
1
0
1
0.0
42
WCE
SUB
R1
27
10
37
3
3
3
0
3
2.2
130

Profile

Born
01 Sept 1957
Died
25 Dec 2010 (aged 53y 115d)
Birthplace
Tiwi, NT
Deathplace
Darwin, NT
Height
175 cm
Weight
76 kg

Teams

  • Richmond
    118 games, 80 goals
    1982–1987

Honours

  • Norm Smith Medal1982
  • Hall of Fame2016
  • Richmond B&F(2×) 1982, 1983
    2nd
    1985
    Top 10
    1984, 1987
  • Brownlow Medal
    2nd
    1983
    Top 10
    1984, 1985

Bio

1 revision

Arriving at Richmond from South Fremantle in 1982, Maurice Rioli was already a highly decorated star of the WAFL and transitioned seamlessly to VFL football. Hailing from the Tiwi Islands, he brought a playstyle defined by sublime balance, unparalleled evasive skills, and elite distribution by hand and foot. Unlike many creative midfielders of the era, Rioli was also a ferocious tackler and a hard-edged competitor, setting a standard for two-way running that influenced generations of Indigenous players who followed him.

His debut season remains one of the most significant in VFL history, as he claimed the Jack Dyer Medal and became the first player to be awarded the Norm Smith Medal in a losing Grand Final side following a standout performance against Carlton. While the Tigers' on-field fortunes declined sharply during the mid-1980s, Rioli maintained his elite output, winning a second Best and Fairest in 1983 and serving as a key leader during a turbulent era for the club. He returned to Western Australia after the 1987 season, cemented as one of the most complete centremen to represent Richmond.

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