Source : ABC NEWS
Port Adelaide forward Willie Rioli has withdrawn from Saturday night’s Showdown against the Crows.
He is at the centre of an AFL investigation into allegations of on-field and off-field incidents of making threats against opposition players.
The AFL is expected to hand down the findings from its investigation today.
Rioli had avoided sanction from the AFL earlier this week after apologising for sending a post-game message that threatened Bulldogs defender Bailey Dale after the two clashed in a game in Ballarat.
Ken Hinkley speaking to Willie Rioli in April. (Getty Images: Quinn Rooney)
While Rioli was fined $1,000 for the on-field physical altercation with Dale, the AFL deemed there was no case to answer for the off-field threat as Rioli had apologised to Dale.
After the AFL announced it would not take action against Rioli, two further claims emerged of the forward making “pretty violent” threats against players from Geelong and Essendon during the 2024 season.
Yesterday, Port’s general manager Chris Davies said the club was continuing to support Rioli throughout the process.
“We are continuing to try and support him as much as we can, if that means pulling him out of the game then we’ll do that,” he said.
“As I say, there’s an ongoing investigation so the AFL may have a hand in that as well.”
Port Adelaide is set to face cross-town rivals the Adelaide Crows on Saturday night.
