Willie Rioli has found himself in the spotlight just days after he was alleged to have threatened a Western Bulldogs star, with accusations arising on Tuesday that the Port Adelaide small forward had threatened a Geelong player during a game last year.
The Age reports that the 29-year-old former West Coast Eagles player had made the alleged second threat during a heated clash between the Power and the Cats during round nine of the 2024 season at the GMHBA Stadium.
Members of both clubs confirmed that the incident had happened during the third quarter of the match.
Sources close to the incident told The Age that the victim of the alleged threat had been ‘distressed’ by the matter and subsequently chose not to speak out.
However, Geelong football boss Andrew Mackie reportedly spoke to staff at Port Adelaide about the incident following the game.
The Age added that Power chief Chris Davies had addressed the footy star regarding the alleged comments.
Willie Rioli is understood to have allegedly made a threat to another AFL opponent in 2024
The footy star landed in hot water this weekend after allegedly making a threat to Western Bulldogs star Bailey Dale
The Geelong player he is accused of threatening’s identity has not been revealed, but club officials confirmed to The Age the incident had occurred
Caroline Wilson added on Channel 7’s The Agenda Setters that the threat had been ‘pretty violent, bordering on horrific’.
She said that multiple players were in earshot of the comment and she added that Port Adelaide players who heard it were taking back by the comments.
The individual, who was allegedly targeted by the threat, has not been identified, though they were ‘urged to take the matter to the AFL’, instead opting against that action over fears that the situation could become public knowledge.
The Age reports that Geelong bosses had confirmed that the incident had taken place.
Mail Sport has contacted Port Adelaide for comment.
It came after Rioli apologised to Western Bulldogs star Bailey Dale over an alleged threat he had sent to the 28-year-old defender.
The Age wrote on Monday that Power and the Bulldogs had addressed the matter ‘privately’ in tandem with the AFL and Rioli, who is understood to have apologised over the comment, is not set to be sanctioned further.
The Age claims that Rioli had sent a warning to Dale via text, with whom he clashed with on the footy pitch during this weekend’s clash.
He told the Dogs star to ‘be careful about leaving his hotel room’ when the Bulldogs travel to Darwin to play Gold Coast on Saturday, adding he had ‘friends and family’ in the area.
Rioli is said to have threatened Bulldogs star Bailey Dale (left) this weekend via a text message
Rioli (left) was fined $1,000 for striking Dale (right) during this weekend’s match and hit out at the fine on social media this weekend
Rioli is now expected to feature during Port’s Showdown clash against rivals Adelaide on Saturday, but had been slapped with a $1,000 fine for striking Dale.
Power, meanwhile, are understood to have been investigating the matter and said in a statement that the situation was ‘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,’ a statement from Power read.
‘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.’
