Port chief reveals major AFL concern as coach goes in to bat for banned Willie Rioli
Port Adelaide's footy boss concedes Willie Rioli did the wrong thing, but fears "casual racism" is often present amid such storylines throughout the AFL.
Rioli was banned for one game on Thursday after the league was made aware of several allegations the Power forward had threatened or spoken aggressively to opposition players.
The latest incident - involving Western Bulldogs player Bailey Dale last weekend - came only a few weeks after Rioli had stepped away from football briefly following a torrent of racist abuse over social media.
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The Dale incident was widely reported over the weekend, but it wasn't until Monday night that two more allegations against Rioli were made public, reportedly catching the AFL off guard.
After mounting pressure to act on the information the league stepped in and banned the star for Saturday's night's Adelaide Showdown.
Willie Rioli with Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley. AFL Photos via Getty Images
Power football chief Chris Davies says some of the commentary around Rioli carries a sour taste.
"I do think that the pile on from many, with regard to Willie, was over the top," Davies told the ABC.
"And, you know, we tried to make that point in the club statement where we highlighted that... we think that there's some issues still to address within the AFL competition about how some incidents are portrayed from a media perspective.
"There are a number of situations that I feel over my time in the sport where there is an element of casual racism in some of those discussions.
"I think if the AFL are going to start to open the lid on incidents that happen on the field, that there's more discussions to be had."
While past Rioli allegations are said to have happened in-game, his threat against Dale happened after the siren.
Rioli sent a message to one of Dale's teammates advising the Bulldogs player not to leave his hotel in Darwin this week, given Rioli has friends and family in the NT city.
Power coach Ken Hinkley believes the AFL is venturing into murky waters by banning Rioli.
"I think it is going to be some area of concern I would have thought for the AFL," Hinkley told media on Friday.
Rioli will be available to play Geelong next week.
It was against Cats player Brad Close last year that another alleged comment was made by Rioli.
Hinkley can't see any retribution coming from Geelong players.
"I would doubt that anyone would go there with the stance the AFL has put in place around comments said on the field," Hinkley said.
"I just don't think you would go there. Willie will get our support, as he always has, and Willie also has to learn. He knows that, and I think he has publicly said that himself. He has got to get better."
