30 Facts About Cyril Rioli

Cyril Rioli was born on 14 July 1989 and is a former Australian rules football player who played with the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League.

Primarily a forward pocket, Cyril Rioli spent time in the midfield, although injuries limited his ability to spend long periods in the midfield.

Cyril Rioli was noted for not being a particularly high-possession player, and instead using his few possessions efficiently.

Cyril Rioli spent the first eight years of his life in the Tiwi Islands before moving with his family to Darwin in the Northern Territory.

Cyril Rioli moved to Melbourne in 2004 as a 14-year-old, where he attended and boarded at Scotch College for four years while playing for the school's football team.

Cyril Rioli originally made the trip alongside his cousin Steven, after just three days in Melbourne the two re-packed their bags with the intention of returning home.

Long said he knew Cyril Rioli was making a life-defining choice at just 14; "That was the big moment, whether he'd tough it out or go".

Cyril Rioli developed somewhat of a cult following while playing for the school, following a video clip of his highlights being uploaded to YouTube.

Cyril Rioli has since stated that he believes the early move to school in Melbourne made the transition a lot easier.

Cyril Rioli was a standout performer in the 2007 AFL national under 18 championships, becoming the only Northern Territorian to earn All-Australian honours, following a seven-goal performance in a match against Queensland.

Cyril Rioli was tipped to go high in the national draft, from anywhere between five and twenty-five.

Just a few days after being drafted by the Hawks, Cyril Rioli attended the club's trek of the Kokoda Track.

Cyril Rioli made his AFL debut in Hawthorn's defeat of the Melbourne Football Club at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in round one 2008.

Cyril Rioli built a reputation around his ability to chase and pressure the opposition as they attempted to rebound from the forward line.

Cyril Rioli appeared in every game in his debut season, including an inspirational performance in Hawthorn's defeat of Geelong in the 2008 AFL Grand Final.

Cyril Rioli assisted in a couple of first quarter goals and kicked two goals for himself in the final, achieving a total of 10 possessions in the game.

Cyril Rioli finished second overall in the 2008 AFL Rising Star Award, the award was won by Fremantle's Rhys Palmer with 44 votes, ahead of Cyril Rioli on 37.

In February 2009, Cyril Rioli was selected for the Indigenous All-Stars that played a pre-season match against the Adelaide Football Club.

Cyril Rioli said while Hawthorn as a club was being analysed and dissected, Rioli wasn't getting the recognition he deserved.

Cyril Rioli's return was described as a "big boost" for Hawthorn's last-ditch bid to revive its season, after many commentators said the club was suffering a "premiership hangover".

Cyril Rioli received the Phil Manassa Medal for his round seven effort against Essendon, and came second in the Peter Crimmins Medal behind the club's captain Sam Mitchell.

When Cyril Rioli kicked the goal of the year, commentator Bruce McAvaney described him as a "delicious young footballer", and the description "delicious" has become strongly associated with both Cyril Rioli and McAvaney.

In 2014, Cyril Rioli had hamstring issues and missed most of the season, he was a surprise selection for the Grand Final.

In 2015, Cyril Rioli was part of the Hawthorn three-peat and capped of the year with a Norm Smith Medal.

Cyril Rioli dedicated the award to his cousin, Fabian Brock, who had been murdered during the 2015 season.

Cyril Rioli returned to Melbourne and played the opening game.

Cyril Rioli was injured during a round 4 match against Melbourne, a Melbourne player clipped his leg and as a result injured his left PCL.

Cyril Rioli again asked for and was given leave to visit family in the Northern Territory; while there, he took time to consider his future.

On 4 July 2018, Cyril Rioli announced his retirement from football, effective immediately, and that he would be moving back to Darwin to be with his family.

Cyril Rioli married his childhood sweetheart, Shannyn Ah Sam, on 19 October 2014 at the George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens.