Port Adelaide president David Koch is ‘incredibly angry’ with controversial star Willie Rioli for making alleged threats to rival players, after more allegations of similar behaviour have come to light.
The AFL’s decision not to punish Willie Rioli for his menacing text message directed at a Bulldogs star is blowing up in the league’s face now that he has been exposed for threatening a Geelong player during a game last year – and allegedly doing the same to a rival at Essendon.
The 29-year-old Port Adelaide star had made the second threat during a heated clash between the Power and the Cats during round nine of the 2024 season at GMHBA Stadium.
Members of both clubs confirmed that the incident occurred during the third quarter of the match.
It has also been alleged that he menaced a Bombers player in Port’s loss in March.
Koch explained that he and the rest of the Port Adelaide board are furious with Rioli.
Port Adelaide president David Koch is ‘incredibly angry’ at controversial star Willie Rioli
Willie Rioli has found himself in hot water this week for making threats to rival players
‘We’re incredibly angry about the situation and Willie knows that,’ he told Adelaide radio.
‘And what’s said on the field is one thing. What’s done off the field – particularly on social media – and a private message to another player who he thought would stay private but then was passed on, it gets very complicated.
‘We’ve talked pretty sternly to Willie about it and said it’s just not on.
‘On field in the heat of the battle is one thing. Off-field and on social media is totally different.
‘That’s why we’re really angry with Willie and what he did, and there’s absolutely no excusing that, and don’t get me wrong on it. But we’ve got a duty of care to support the players and turn a bit of attention on what society is doing to these players.’
Former AFL star Nick Riewoldt has slammed the AFL for inconsistencies in the way it penalises players and has questioned the claim that the league was unaware of other threats made by Rioli.
Riewoldt described the situation as ‘another embarrassment’ for footy boss Laura Kane.
Sources with knowledge of the Geelong incident told The Age that the player who was threatened had been ‘distressed’ but subsequently chose not to speak out.
Rioli allegedly threatened Bailey Dale following Port’s loss in round eight – and since then two other incidents have come to light
The identity of the Geelong player Rioli is accused of threatening has not been revealed, but club officials confirmed the incident occurred
However, Geelong football boss Andrew Mackie spoke to staff at Port Adelaide about the incident following the game.
Power chief Chris Davies also addressed the footy star regarding the comments.
Geelong’s Brad Close has been named as the threatened player by News Corp, with the outlet also identifying Bombers star Archie Roberts as the other threatened player.
Video from the match shows Rioli clashing with him just after giving away a double 50-metre penalty, with Close’s teammate Jeremy Cameron stepping in.
Caroline Wilson added on Channel 7’s The Agenda Setters that the Geelong threat had been ‘pretty violent, bordering on horrific’.
She said multiple players were in earshot of the comment and Port Adelaide players who heard it were taken aback.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Port Adelaide for comment.
The new developments came after Rioli apologised to Western Bulldogs star Bailey Dale for the threat he sent to a teammate of the 28-year-old defender.
He told the Dogs star to be careful about leaving his hotel room when the Bulldogs travel to Darwin to play the Suns on Saturday because he has friends and family in the area.
The AFL was reportedly not aware of Rioli’s threat to the Geelong star and his alleged menacing of the Bombers player when it decided not to punish him for the Dale incident.
Rioli threatened Bulldogs star Bailey Dale (pictured with his fiancee Erin Meade) via a text message after the pair clashed on the field last weekend
Rioli (left) was fined $1000 for striking Dale (right) during the Power’s big loss
The league’s failure to fine or suspend him has infuriated fans, who blasted the sport’s bosses for being weak and treating Rioli with kid gloves.
Rioli is now expected to feature during Port’s Showdown clash against arch rivals Adelaide on Saturday after being slapped with a $1000 fine for striking Dale.
The Power said in a statement that the situation is ‘resolved’.
‘Port Adelaide is aware of a private message sent by Willie Rioli to a Western Bulldogs player following Saturday afternoon’s game between the two clubs,’ the club said in a statement.
‘The matter has now been resolved privately after Willie contacted Bailey Dale from the Bulldogs.’
The AFL has also issued comment on the matter, writing that it had ‘reminded both clubs to ensure any communications remain respectful.’
However, Wilson claimed that Power have been left furious by this weekend’s incident.
‘Port Adelaide are really angry about this, they’re really angry with Willie Rioli,’ she told Channel 7.
‘They’ve read him the riot act. Many see double standards here with some of the punishments handed out to AFL players for off-field incidents and dare I say on-field incidents that lead to suspensions.
Caroline Wilson (pictured) revealed the nature of the threat made to the unnamed Geelong player as ‘borderline horrific’
‘In this case, clearly Port are worried about Willie’s mental health. He’s playing on edge.
‘My understanding is that Port plan to play him in the showdown, but they are sick of him making threats.’
But the AFL have copped criticism now after the second threat allegation came to light from Gerard Whately.
‘I can’t quite fathom where the AFL has landed here, which is nowhere, and for the second time recently, they are in breach of community standards,’ Whateley said on Fox Footy.
‘The football public is unhappy to say the least… they have pulled up to punish Osama bin Laden masks at an off-season party and flipping the bird, which presumably is done for the likelihood to incite.
‘They seem to have just completely missed the gravity of a player sending a message to a rival player’s teammate threatening (him) the day after a game, which I think, to the common man is going well, that’s not only in breach of footy standards, that’s borderline in breach of the law.
‘So to walk straight past that with no comment? The only person on record saying Rioli has made a mistake is Luke Beveridge, not the AFL and not Port Adelaide.’
He added: ‘They made a mistake yesterday. I reckon they probably got lost in a whole lot of other things, and just missed the threatening message the day after a game. ‘No, no, we’re gonna stamp that out and set a precedent’.
Rioli is understood to have been ‘read the riot act’ by Port Adelaide, according to Wilson
Luke Beveridge (pictured), meanwhile, wasn’t surprised by the AFL’s decision not to sanction Rioli
‘And I think they just, they’re looking at all of this, and they missed this. It was a mistake yesterday, and it was a glaring mistake today.’
Bulldogs coach, Luke Beveridge, has meanwhile claimed he wasn’t surprised by the AFL’s decision not to sanction Rioli for the alleged threatening message.
‘Obviously, Willie has made a mistake, he’ll learn from it – and we’re all OK with that,’ he said.
‘I think the discretion there is important and I think that’s how both clubs are treating it. Let’s just learn from it, move on and make sure it doesn’t happen again.’
