Cyril Rioli retires

[Milanista28]

Congratulations on a grear career. Im sure Hawks will miss him greatly, and perhaps many others. Not so much for myself, never thought he was that special - dime a dozen type stuff - but still you dont achieve what he has without being alright.

Go on, Name a dozen.

 

[Baird]

Sad day for footy, he was one of a kind

 

[Rusty Brookes]

What can you say? One of the most important cogs in one of the most successful teams ever.

He made going to the footy fun. That anticipation of seeing him at top flight was always exciting. He did stuff no-one else would even think of doing, he took personal responsibility for getting the team across the line on countless occasions, delivered in big pressure games and was a consummate team player.

He gave me a heap of incredibly good times at the footy. I would have been stoked if he played in one premiership when he was recruited (at a time when Hawthorn desperately needed a good small forward). That he had a major say in four flags equals a terrific career.

Well played Cyril, thanks for everything you did for the club (including being a champ with my son on the times he met you) and all the best.

 

[The_Irony]

What do you mean? His retirement cuts his club short, as he had 2 years remaining on his contract. Possibly 2 years of salary that the club may have to find moving forward.

As I stated he has been a great servant of the club.

You could jut make a new thread about it. This is the retirement thread, not the hey i feel afl ripped us off i want justice thread.

 

[HawkMongrel]

Today is a s**t day.

Thanks Cyz.

 

[Farm Boy]

Good time to retire. He has won 4 flags. It would be hard to get up for games after that. Well done Cyril.

 

[Wesley2]

4 flags, 3 AAs and a NSM, retires one of the most decorated players in VFL/AFL history.

And of course the jealous, headf*cked Hawk-haters are already reeling out the same old vacuous 'OVERRATED!' cliches.....

It's a great filter, just click their names and hit ignore, not worth wasting time reading anything they say

 

[benneth]

Sad to see him go, many people's favourite no doubt due to his on field prowess but also his humble and unassuming nature.

Will retire a 1 club player - a champion in a champion side.

 

[footyfan1978]

Modern football lends itself to producing a real sameness across all of the players.

C Rioli was a breath of fresh air, an actual footballer first, athlete second. He transcended the banality of structures.

So well said.

 

[bkozican]

Great career,

Thank you for the memories

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Whats with all the sydney supporters coming in and trying to derail a retirement thread.

Great player, well deserved time off

What are you taking about? I see nothing but respect for an out-and-out champion.

Swans fans could have mentioned the fact that Nick Smith mostly owned him, which is nothing but the truth, but even then they didn’t.

Stop drinking Eddie’s kool-aid. Rioli was a champ and plenty of Swans fans here are saying it.

 

[The King!]

fantastic career, great player to watch

 

[clivenator26]

It's not just the Hawk-haters mate.

I swear to God some people on here would bag Mother Teresa.

She’d have been a bigger superstar had she played for a Vic club.

 

[SilentHunter_]

Classy contribution

If you read the entire thread then you'll see yes I did make a classy contribution and then replied to someone else's post

 

[Percel]

Not enough c's in flaccid to describe how Bruce is feeling right now.

Well played Cyril, heck of a career.

 

[telsor]

Sorry to see him go, but he's clearly thought long and hard about it.

All the best for the future Cyril.

 

[Gydafud]

Credit where credit is due. Hell of a player and always a threat.

 

[citizen-erased]

Well done on a stellar career and all the best in life Cyril.

 

[iameviljez]

It's good to see that footy isn't the be-all and end-all for everyone - that there is some sense of perspective on its place in life.

(Also: I still wake up in a cold sweat about Cyril embarassing a half-fit Enright in 2008).

 

[Thistle]

Have followed him closely since reading his story in The Damraft by Emma Quail. He was always something special but many recruiters were put of by his lack of fitness. However Hawthorn's thoughts were that if he can a significant impact at 50% imagine what he could be if they put him on a proper training program. Something that's always stuck with me and obviously paid dividends for the rucks.

 

[QuietB]

Modern football lends itself to producing a real sameness across all of the players.

C Rioli was a breath of fresh air, an actual footballer first, athlete second. He transcended the banality of structures.

100% agree with this, but saying he was an "athlete second" is selling him short. Sure he was not an aerobic beast. But Cyril was one of the most explosive and dynamic athletes the game has seen.

Lots of people talk about past greats not being suited to the modern game. In a way Cyril was not suited to the drone running of the modern game.

But he was amazing anyway - such a unique footballer.

Disappointed he didn't agree to see the year out so we could trade him to North

 

[Sir_Loin]

Shocked to hear this. Cyril was one of the most exciting players to watch of recent years. Sad to see him go

 

[mike123]

Well he's achieved pretty much everything in the afl and now he can look after his family

 

[Superstar swan]

Congratulations on a great career... an all time great small forward....its a shame his body couldnt hold up to the rigours of a midfield role, he could have been anything

 

[Luv_our_club]

Thanks to all the posters celebrating Cyril.

I have spent the last ten minutes counselling my young nephew, convincing him the sun will come up tomorrow.


p.s. The only problem with Cyril's highlight tapes is that they largely exclude the passages of play that don't lead to a goal..... so much gold there is lost.