Maurice Rioli - Impact in Victoria

Impact in Victoria

To this point, few aboriginal players had had extended careers in the VFL. On his arrival in 1982, which coincided with the transfer of the Krakouer brothers to North Melbourne, Rioli spoke about the racial taunts and obstacles faced by indigenous players in the game. Rioli chose to shrug much of the racism off, and he was certainly possessed with an intense concentration on the field. His reputation as a boxer probably helped to avoid confrontation during a game - Rioli was a scrupulously fair competitor who found no trouble with the umpires.