Long tells Eagles to back Rioli

AFL great Michael Long has pleaded with West Coast and the league to give Willie Rioli another chance to reclaim his career.

Rioli, pictured, was caught with marijuana in his pants when he tried to board a flight from Darwin to the Tiwi Islands and on Wednesday avoided a conviction after pleading guilty in Darwin Magistrates Court to drug possession.

He was put on a 12-month $500 good behaviour bond.

The Eagles are reportedly weighing up whether to hand Rioli a club-imposed punishment, or even cut him.

Long is Rioli’s uncle and spoke to the 25-year-old forward on Wednesday night.

He said Rioli needed a “hand up and not a hand out’’.

“He’s made mistakes and if he comes through the other end that’s a really important strong message,’’ Long said.

“As a young man he knows he has to change his life for his own sake, for his own kids, for his own community.’’

Rioli is prepared to submit to regular drug tests to prove he can break the cycle of canof nabis use. “He’s a good kid Willie,’’ Long said. “I know his career and obviously I know what it’s taken to get that level. He’s gone through a lot.

“Even though he’s my nephew, you don’t want to see it end this way.

“If anything, I plead with the AFL and the Eagles.

“He’s been through enough humiliation with this.

“He’s so regretful. He’s let a lot of people down, supporters, the club, his teammates most importantly.

“I just don’t want to see him walk away from the game like this. I’m just asking for another second chance. The better way handling this is for him to turn it around and prove to himself and others that he can do it.

“He needs a hand up and not a hand out.

“And Willie can show that by his actions on and off the footy field.”

Long said despite the recent events in Rioli’s career, which included the two-year ASADA ban for tampering with a urine sample, he was a hero for kids on the island.

“They love him, just his nature and character,’’ Long said.

“He comes from the Vigona side of the family and obviously a Rioli … he’s got that beautiful nature about him.

“He’s always got time for people. He’s pretty humble and I think football can give him a platform to turn what’s happened into a positive.”

In the months leading up to the airport arrest, Rioli had been training on the island and with St Mary’s in Darwin.

Former St Kilda and Fremantle coach Ross Lyon Lyon said Rioli had to get “back to being the best version of himself”.

He said the Eagles “100 per cent, a million per cent’’ should give Rioli anther chance.