Richmond’s greatest Indigenous player, Maurice Rioli, has been inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame at the annual gala function held tonight at Melbourne’s Crown Casino.

Rioli, who passed away in 2010, aged 53, is one of six members of the Australian Football community to be honoured with induction into the Hall of Fame this year.

Maurice Rioli was only 175cm tall, but he was a giant with regards to the influence he exerted in both sporting and public life for Indigenous people.

On the football field, Rioli dazzled teammates, fans and opponents alike.

He was a genius with the football in his hands – a rare talent, whose sublime skills helped pave the way for the Indigenous community to embrace, and subsequently thrive, in our great national game.

Rioli was recruited by Richmond from Western Australian club South Fremantle, where he had been a star after arriving there from Melville Island.

From 1982-87, Rioli thrilled the Tiger Army with his brilliant style of play.

He won the Club’s Jack Dyer Medal (Best and Fairest award) in his first two years at Punt Road (1982-83), collected the Norm Smith Medal for being best-on-ground in the Tigers’ 1982 Grand Final loss to Carlton (the first player in a losing side to do so), and finished runner-up in the competition’s prestigious Brownlow Medal in 1983.

Tribute to Maurice Rioli

All-up, Rioli played 118 games and kicked 80 goals in a six-season career with Richmond.

He is regarded as one of the finest players to ever pull on the famous Yellow and Black guernsey.

Long after Rioli’s playing days had finished, he continued to serve the Indigenous community through his work in public life, firstly as a politician in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly, then in Community Services on the Tiwi Islands.

His primary objective was to improve conditions for Indigenous people, whether they were from within his electorate, the Tiwi Islands, or anywhere else across Australia.

Maurice Rioli was a leader of his people, and a true champion, both on and off the field.

He was an enormously important figure in league football as a player, and as a trailblazer in the role he played for Indigenous Australians.