Only the truly great are named onto Teams of the Century while still playing and Cyril Rioli Junior is one such great. An astonishing talent and certainly one of the best players in the AFL today, Cyril Rioli Junior is a famous member of the even more famous Rioli footballing dynasty.
Incredibly, Cyril junior joins his father Cyril Senior, uncle Maurice Rioli and uncle Michael Long in the AFLNT Team of the Century.
Known as Junior Boy, Cyril spent the first eight years of his life in the Tiwi Islands before moving with his family to Darwin and playing as a junior at the fabled green machine and perennial NTFL Premiers, St Mary’s.
Rioli moved to Melbourne as a 14-year-old, where he attended the Scotch College and starred on the school's football team.
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.
Drafted by Hawthorn at number 12 in the 2007 draft, the scintillating Rioli played every game of his debut 2008 season and was runner-up in the Rising Star Award. Cyril played in their 2008 Grand Final, winning the first of his astonishing four Premierships, picking up two All-Australian Honours and the coveted Norm Smith Medal along the way.
A dazzling talent who puts fear into the opposition by being impossible to match up on, Cyril Rioli Junior continues to amaze fans of all teams with his skill, finesse and unstoppable will to win. A man for the big stage thrives in Grand Finals and with four Premierships to his name, he has the chance of winning even more as his career continues.
A ferocious and tenacious tackler, too quick to catch, he can play tall; he truly does have it all. Every football fan in Australia is privileged to be witnessing Cyril Juniors astonishing career unfold. The Territory footballing Champion who could go on to be one of the greatest of all time, joins his father and uncles, in the AFLNT Team of the Century.