28. Matt Riggio

[micky_11]

Matt Riggio


Fast Facts

Jumper No: 28
Height: 188
Weight: 83
DOB: 14/03/1988
Recruited From: Peel Thunder

This info is from last year, i am just waiting for new height and weight to come up on the website along with this years picture. Dont be fooled, this Guy is in for a huge year, Nab Rising Star isnt out of his reach

[Ted]

AFL Website 2007 Kangaroos Preview

Matt Riggio - Medium-sized defender who boasts a strong mark and good ball-winning ability. Has yet to play a game in the seniors.

[micky_11]

i have football on today so i wont be able to post a report on his gave live like most others will be able to on their respective players, but i will watch the replay on fox, and post my report about his game, thanx guys

[jozeph]

Gun. Has All Australian written all over him.

[theone5]

Gun. Has All Australian written all over him.

OK.
Obviously that is a big call, and an unrealistic one but how did he play on Saturday?
I only listened to the game.

[micky_11]

Not the best game by riggio on the weekend against the power, he had 2 kicks, 4 handballs, 1 mark and 2 tackles on the stats sheet, but did kick out a number of times, which wernt counted as stats. a few of his kickouts fell short of the targett, they were good kicks, except half hearted leads from other players, meant his kicks looked worse than what they were. did look composed when he had the ball though. only a 4 out of 10 for his game this w/e, but remember it was only his second game, he can only get better

[Harro]

Where is he at now?

JWS seems to have taken his spot.

Hed have to have pretty good form to push anyone out at this stage.

Hes young though.

[juzlyboy]

Where is he at now?

JWS seems to have taken his spot.

Hed have to have pretty good form to push anyone out at this stage.

Hes young though.


Yer looks like JWS has replaced him. I feel sorry for poor riggio, started the year but then gone soon after. Hope he can impress laidley in the reserves but at the moment we have better players playing.

[happy_eagle]

is this guy close to getting another game soon

[Jolldo87]

how's his pre season going? will he get more game time than last year this year?

[micky_11]

how's his pre season going? will he get more game time than last year this year?
Well he did get 2nd in the first 3km time trial iirc, he has gotten bigger and stronger, trained well the other day and looks very focused

[sTeeL]

Its his last year on contract isnt it so you would think he would want to be very focussed?

Im hoping he makes the team!

[shintemaster]

Would say he's one of the first in line to grab JWS's spot of the half back line. There is a tailor made spot ready and waiting for him if he does the hard things in the next few weeks.

[Pykie]

Definately plenty of potential, but id hope he's focused.

There are now 4 genuine threats to his spot,

Greenwood
Urquhart
Power
Sinclair


If that doesn't motivate you, nothing will.

[The Teflon Dean]

Why do people persist with this logic? Defender is not his best position.

He has blitzed in VFL finals the past two seasons when switched on to the ball.

Whether or not Matt makes it is purely up to Matts self belief and drive. He has all the other boxes ticked.

[micky_11]

Apparently one of our best on the ground in todays intra club "hit out".

Hoping he can keep getting better and have an influence this year.

[micky_11]

Riggio: Has really matured into the footballer we were all hoping for imo. Hes the prototype HBF, tall, agile, excellent penetrating footskills, tough. Was very good in the first half, but was more quiet in the second. Depending on Gav Urquhart’s preseason form, Riggio has the second HBF with JWS next season, easily over Power and Harding, Riggio would be a seriously dangerous HBF with enough games under his belt, and the space on an AFL field. Best comparison is a Jason Gram type imo, who I rate highly, he should be in the side purely for his delivery, but he has so many more strings to his bow now, more so than when he arrived on our doorstep.



Thankyou Pykie, how exciting does this kid sound, he smith and urquhart rotating off the HBF this year will be extremely damaging

[r_boy]

Thankyou Pykie, how exciting does this kid sound, he smith and urquhart rotating off the HBF this year will be extremely damaging

Riggio definately has not only one of the most accurate kicks in the team but also one of the most penetrating, should be an extremely damaging HBF.

Knowing you Micky you should be extremely happy mate. I know I am!

[micky_11]

Riggio definately has not only one of the most accurate kicks in the team but also one of the most penetrating, should be an extremely damaging HBF.

Knowing you Micky you should be extremely happy mate. I know I am!
I am extremely happy.

cant wait to see him in action in the NAB

[micky_11]

has been named in the squad against the lion, hoping he will make the cut and impress.

[B-Rock]

Is it safe to say that Urqhart has leapfrogged this bloke in the pecking order?

[andana]

I am extremely happy.

cant wait to see him in action in the NAB

For those who didn't get to Subi.

Matt had limited time against the dockers but did very well.
Played hbf, cut his man out of the play & made some good runs forward. Good disposal to team mates & got a goal.
Got a bit of mongrel in him Seemed poised & unhurried

rating 10

[The Teflon Dean]

For those who didn't get to Subi.

Matt had limited time against the dockers but did very well.
Played hbf, cut his man out of the play & made some good runs forward. Good disposal to team mates & got a goal.
Got a bit of mongrel in him Seemed poised & unhurried

rating 10

out of 10?:eek:

[andana]

yes did well

[danny rooboy]

Any news on how Riggio has been going in the reserves or at training?

[micky_11]

In the last 2 weeks he has go in the best players and has been scoring goals so he is pushing for selection

[micky_11]

Riggio returns to make his run!

HIS SHOCK of blonde hair sets him apart, but now North Melbourne youngster Matt Riggio is starting to stand out for his performances.
The 20-year-old has played a solid role in the club's last two matches – thrilling victories over the West Coast Eagles and Western Bulldogs – after starting the year with Werribee.
Three weeks ago, North Melbourne chief of football Donald McDonald suggested that the bye for the Hall of Fame Tribute Match was an opportunity for VFL players to press for selection, and Riggio responded accordingly.
He was picked for the clash with the Eagles on the Gold Coast, his first senior match since round two, 2007, and held his place in the side for the match against the Bulldogs – teammate Brent Harvey's 250th game.
"It's good to have a few close wins, a few nail-biters so I feel good," he said. "It was a bit of an honour to play in that game with [Harvey]. Obviously he's been a great player over the years so it was real good to get the win for him."
Riggio was used in a negating role on Sunday, with the task of minimising the influence of tireless playmakers Daniel Cross and Farren Ray, among others.
"They were a forward running team," he noted of the Bulldogs' style. "I had a bit more of a defensive mindset on the weekend because they run forward so much. But I sort of rotated on a few blokes."
The West Australian won 10 possessions of his own, but it was the small things in contests around the ground which confirmed Riggio's commitment to make 2008 his defining year.
Acquired by the Kangaroos at No. 28 in the 2005 National Draft, a product of the trade that sent Daniel Motlop to Port Adelaide, Riggio had only played one senior game with WAFL club Peel Thunder but was rated as a medium-sized defender through his AIS scholarship.
After a year at the club, his debut came against Collingwood in round one, 2007 and he retained his spot to play the Power. Disappointingly, a return to the VFL followed but it was an action that benefited his development.
"I had a pretty good pre-season last year so I was a bit surprised to get a gig but I knew that I had done the hard work and it paid off," he recalled. "My couple of games up there were pretty good, a good experience.
"When I first went down there [to Werribee] it was a bit daunting but ... you've got seven or eight other guys that you train with every week. They welcome us in and they're all pretty good down there.
"[I'm] starting to play good footy through the VFL [which] has sort of helped me a bit. I struggled a bit last year to play, I got dropped to the twos nearly and had a bit of a form slump but this year it's been good. I'm just starting to feel comfortable at AFL level now."
During an encouraging summer, Riggio's running ability fast-tracked a transition from defender to midfielder and a training group switch from Darren Crocker to Darren Bewick.
"He's been really good," Riggio said of Bewick. "He obviously had a long, highlighted career and has extended his knowledge down to us.
"I'd like to be a running midfielder and winger, link up from half-back and provide a bit of run and impact the game and get it inside 50 when we need it."
Aiming to play 10 matches this season or "enough games to stay on the list", Riggio's obvious priority is to keep his place in the 22 – and that continues this week against Brisbane.
"They're going to be a tough side to beat," he said. "They're the number one tackling side at the moment, and that's what we pride ourselves on so we'll see how we go head-to-head with that.
"They've got a few guns so we'll just have to try and tie them down.”

[chubbspeterson]

Man he's been awesome for us lately, gives us some extra hardness and run through the middle. His delivery has been pretty good too.