Port Adelaide publicly scolds star Willie Rioli over dynamite social media post about his family that kicked off a disgraceful racist backlash

Port Adelaide have supported forward Willie Rioli following his scathing Instagram post targeting Hawthorn – but have also publicly stated that social media isn’t the right place for him to air his grievances.

The Power secured a commanding 30-point win over the high-flying Hawks on Sunday, with Rioli playing a pivotal role.

The 29-year-old ran into an open goal late in the fourth quarter and taunted Changkuoth Jiath with the ball before kicking the match-winner.

Jiath responded by shoving the small forward to the ground, which caused a melee. Rioli was awarded a free kick and slotted home the easiest of goals to seal the victory.

Hours later, Riloi took to social media to voice his personal hatred of Hawthorn.

‘Play with fire, you’re gonna get burnt,’ he said via his Instagram story.

‘My hatred for this club goes way pass (sic) last year’s antics. What they did to my dad and my brother is why I can’t stand them. Not the players.’

Rioli’s late dad, Willie Snr, was drafted by Hawthorn in 1990 but never actually played a senior match for the club.

His cousin Cyril – a four-time premiership hero at Hawthorn – was at the centre of a lawsuit against the club which was settled in November.

Adelaide released a statement addressing the incident on Monday explaining that the Rioli family carries pain associated with Hawthorn.

‘Willie Rioli and his family continue to carry deep-seated pain and sadness from past family experiences,’ a Port Adelaide spokesperson said.

‘Despite the depth of feeling Willie and his family have, social media was not the appropriate forum for Willie to share his emotions last night. Willie understands this.

‘Willie’s welfare remains our priority and the club will continue to provide support for Willie and his family through this time.’

Rioli Jr later posted evidence of racist abuse he had received following his Instagram post. 

AFL Players Association chief executive Paul Marsh has since condemned the abuse.

‘The racist and homophobic comments sent to Willie on his social media accounts are beyond unacceptable,’ Marsh said.

‘For what feels like the 1000th time, we ask these so called football supporters to stop racially abusing the players.’ 

Hawks coach Sam Mitchell has reacted to Rioli’s comments about Hawthorn saying he’s had a relationship with Willie for a long period of time and he hopes the pair can have a conversation about the matter at a more appropriate time.

Rioli Jr’s remarks, which have since been deleted, is the latest installment of the ongoing rivalry between the Hawks and Port Adelaide.

Power coach Ken Hinkley fanned the rivalry flames last May in celebrating the Power’s greatest escape, when Darcy Byrne-Jones soccered the winning goal with two seconds remaining.

The fire escaped containment lines after their semi-final in Adelaide when the Power pipped the Hawks by three points.

Hinkley taunted Hawthorn players post-game and was fined $20,000 by the AFL – a sanction which still has the Power privately fuming.

The AFL grabbed the grudge and made it the Sunday night finale to another wildly successful Gather Round in Adelaide and surrounds.

‘No matter who we were playing, we just needed to find a win,’ Hinkley said.

‘Rivalry in sport is great … sometimes we overplay it a little bit.’

And the on-field theatre began with a Port bang: six goals to one in the first quarter.

The Power’s dual All Australian Zak Butters – the AFL’s most fined player – sparked a small melee and the pro-Power crowd repeatedly jeered Hawks’ captain James Sicily, who was central to last year’s finals stoush with Hinkley.

With ex-Magpie Jack Richards slotting two goals and setting up Mitch Georgiades for another, Port were slick in their 6.3 to 1.2 opening.

But that proved a mere entree to Port’s main course: a match-defining second-term feast of six consecutive goals.

Power skipper Rozee, revelling in a new halfback role, twice drifted up-field to goal.

And his teammates Sam Powell-Pepper and Willem Drew scored with remarkable snaps in Port’s party which created a 71-point lead, 12.7 to 1.2.

The hapless Hawks mustered two late goals to reduce their deficit to 59 points at halftime and were 47 down at the last change.

‘The first half of that game was unacceptable and not the way we want to play,’ Hawks coach Sam Mitchell said.

‘We’re trying to work out why … we’re 4-1, we’re not in a terrible position in the year but it doesn’t feel like that right at this moment.’