The Rioli family are a notable

Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...

family from the

Tiwi Islands The Tiwi Islands ( tiw, Ratuati Irara meaning "two islands") are part of the Northern Territory, Australia, to the north of Darwin adjoining the Timor Sea. They comprise Melville Island, Bathurst Island, and nine smaller uninhabited islands, wi ...

in the

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory ...

. Six family members have played in the

Australian Football League The Australian Football League (AFL) is the only fully professional competition of Australian rules football. Through the AFL Commission, the AFL also serves as the sport's governing body and is responsible for controlling the laws of the gam ...

(AFL), with a further five playing in the

West Australian Football League The West Australian Football League (WAFL) is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The league currently consists of ten teams, which play each other in a 20-round season usually lasting from March to September, ...

for South Fremantle. Many more family members have played for the

Tiwi Bombers Tiwi can refer to: *Tiwi, Albay, a municipality in the province of Albay, Philippines * Tiwi, Kenya, a settlement in Kenya's Coast Province * Tiwi, Oman, an archaeological site *Tiwi, Northern Territory, a suburb of Darwin in Australia *The Tiwi Is ...

or St Mary's in the

Northern Territory Football League The Northern Territory Football League (NTFL) is an Australian rules football semi-professional league operating in Darwin in the Northern Territory. The league is one of few (and the highest level) Australian Rules competitions played during ...

(NTFL) and the

Northern Territory Thunder Northern Territory Football Club, nicknamed NT Thunder, was a Northern Territory-based Australian rules football club that competed in the North East Australian Football League (NEAFL) between 2011 and 2019. It also competed in the VFL Women's in ...

in the

North East Australian Football League The North East Australian Football League (NEAFL) was an Australian rules football league in New South Wales, Queensland, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. The league was formed in November 2010, and its inaugural co ...

(NEAFL). Nineteen members of the family have played a combined total of more than 1000 games for St Mary's. Cyril Senior (7 July 1934 – 3 June 2014) was awarded an

Order of Australia Medal The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...

in 2014 for services to develop the Tiwi Island community. *Sebastian (Sibby) Rioli (17 Jan 1954 – 3 May 2012): South Fremantle (1972–1976) *

Maurice Rioli Maurice Joseph Rioli Sr. (1 September 195725 December 2010) was an Australian rules footballer who represented St Mary's Football Club in the Northern Territory Football League (NTFL), in the West Australian Football League (WAFL) and in th ...

(1957–2010): South Fremantle (1975–1981,1988–1990),

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

(1982–1987) *John Rioli: South Fremantle colts

Jack Clarke Medal The Jack Clarke Medal is an award for the fairest and best player in the West Australian Football League The West Australian Football League (WAFL) is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The league current ...

1982 *Cyril Rioli Jr: South Fremantle (1987) *Willie Rioli Sr (21 Feb 1972 – 12 July 2022): South Fremantle (1989–1990, 1994) *

Dean Rioli Dean Rioli (born 20 May 1978) is a former Australian rules football player who spent his whole professional career with the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League. The nephew of Maurice Rioli, the Richmond Football Club c ...

(born 1978): South Fremantle (1995–1997),

Essendon Essendon may refer to: Australia *Electoral district of Essendon *Electoral district of Essendon and Flemington *Essendon, Victoria **Essendon railway station **Essendon Airport *Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League United King ...

(1999–2006) *

Cyril Rioli Cyril Rioli (born 14 July 1989) is a former Australian rules football player who played with the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League. Rioli was a member of four premiership teams and the Norm Smith Medallist from the 2015 ...

(born 1989):

Hawthorn Hawthorn or Hawthorns may refer to: Plants * '' Crataegus'' (hawthorn), a large genus of shrubs and trees in the family Rosaceae * ''Rhaphiolepis'' (hawthorn), a genus of about 15 species of evergreen shrubs and small trees in the family Rosace ...

(2008–2018) *

Daniel Rioli Daniel Rioli (born 16 April 1997) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He is a three-time premiership player with the club and in 2017 he received the award ...

(born 1997):

(2016–) *

Willie Rioli William Rioli (known as Junior Rioli since August 2022 and Willie Rioli beforehand) (born 4 June 1995) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Port Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL), having in ...

(born 1995):

West Coast West Coast or west coast may refer to: Geography Australia * Western Australia *Regions of South Australia#Weather forecasting, West Coast of South Australia * West Coast, Tasmania **West Coast Range, mountain range in the region Canada * Britis ...

(2018–) *Ben Rioli (born 1993): South Fremantle (2020–) *

Maurice Rioli Jr Maurice Rioli, Jr. (born 1 September 2002) is a professional Australian rules footballer who plays for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL) Early life, junior football and state-league football Rioli is the namesak ...

(born 2002):

(2021–) Michael Long,

Benny Vigona Benedict John "Benny" Vigona (born 9 October 1958) is a former Australian rules footballer best known for playing for in the West Australian Football League (WAFL). Biography Vigona is from a large extended family who are heavily involved in No ...

, and current

AFL Women's AFL Women's (AFLW) is Australia's national semi-professional Australian rules football league for female players. The first season of the league in February and March 2017 had eight teams; the league expanded to 10 teams in the 2019 season, 1 ...

player

Danielle Ponter Danielle Ponter (born 8 January 2000) is an Australian rules footballer playing for Adelaide Football Club in the AFL Women's (AFLW). She played for St Mary's and Essendon in her junior career, typically as a forward. Ponter was selected with ...

are also related to the Rioli family by marriage.

References

{{surname Lists of people by surname Rioli family Australian rules football in the Northern Territory Tiwi Islands people

See also

References