Past #28: Matt Riggio - drafted #28 in '05 ND - 10 games for North - delisted at end '09 season

Remove this Banner Ad

Never heard of him.
 
Burgan had us taking him at 45..


45 (28) - KANGAROOS - Matt Riggio
(Peel Thunder), 14 March 1988, 187.1cm, 83kg

Riggio's status in the draft will be an interesting one. He has plenty of support, believed to be Carlton, Port Adelaide and the Kangaroos. Riggio may be in the mix at No.36 for Carlton, before it opts out with a pass at No.64. It would not surprise if Riggio went earlier or later in the draft, but the Roos will definitely be interested. A defender, Riggio possesses good pace and ball-winning ability. He was an AIS/AFL Academy member.

Peel boy to join Wellsy.. nice

Go Roos
 

Log in to remove this ad.

windsock said:
Did you expect us to pick up a household name at pick 28?!:rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Haven't paid much attention to the players this year, but I did watch the draft camp program on bigpond and have read a few papers leading into the draft, but I hadn't heard his name, had you?
 
Medium defender, can play midfield.

Footydraft profile:

Details:
Club: Peel Thunder
DOB: 14 Mar 88 Hgt: 189cm Wgt:
Position: Backline/Midfield
Natural Foot: Right

Honours:
Under 15s WA 2003
Under 16s WA 2004
AIS Scholarship Holder
AFL Draft Camp 2005

Draft Camp:
Agility 8.18 (7th)
Beep Test 14.6 (equal 4th)

Background:
Riggio is a defensive running player who runs through the line and has great skills. He also has the ability to push up the ground and can kick a goal, looks to have enormous talent as a tough hard running back flanker or a midfielder. Likes the physical stuff and gives out as good as he gets, is said to have a bit of mongrel in him both on and off the field as well. Was not selected for the WA U18s this year and seemed to have learnt by his mistakes after that reality check and has played very good football in the 2nd half of the year. Could be a very hard one to judge in terms of where he will go and if he will at all. Draft Camp may be a very important time for Riggio.

Strengths:
- Versatile provides hard run out of back line and midfield good height
- Dishes out some hard hits
- Good pace and Good size
- AFL type footballer, 6 foot plus 80kg with athleticism
- Agility and Endurance

Weaknesses:
- Overlooked for 18s so he wasn't seen on the big stage

Footydraft.com comment:
Is blessed with a lot of good attributes and has been a part of the AIS academy, the main thing that is going to decide his fate is if clubs are prepared to take a risk on a bottom age player who hasn’t played in the carnival.
 
Benno_900 said:
Should've picked Jace Bode or Austin Lucy with the Green pick!
Click to expand...
And wait 3 years for them to play senior footy.
 
Riggio sounds ok. Quote from Peel's development coach,Trvor Williams: "A very intense,aggressive kid who has a very high work rate. Plays half back and on the ball and is just a competitor around the footy".
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Groucho said:
Riggio sounds ok. Quote from Peel's development coach,Trvor Williams: "A very intense,aggressive kid who has a very high work rate. Plays half back and on the ball and is just a competitor around the footy".
Click to expand...


No wonder Dean Laidley likes him! It's as though he's drafted himself.:thumbsu:
 
Dingster said:
Likes the physical stuff and gives out as good as he gets, is said to have a bit of mongrel in him both on and off the field as well.

- Dishes out some hard hits
Click to expand...

Groucho said:
from Peel's development coach,Trvor Williams: "A very intense,aggressive kid who has a very high work rate.
Click to expand...

I like the sound of this kid.

But the bit about mongrel "off the field"....wtf is that about?
 
SOme quotes from Riggio today, just spoke to him:
He WAS a Port Adelaide fan.


"I was happy to go whereever I was picked up.
"It's another reason for mum to get a trip to Melbourne each year.

"I don't know much about the club.

Missed out on the State 18s this year
"I was in a bit of form slump, but that picked me up and got got going.
"I went back to Peel and tried to prove them wrong and I did that.

"This year I played half-back and midfield, so I can do both.

"The hard work starts now."

"I spoke to Dean Laidley, he was happy they'd picked me up."
 
His colts coach, Trevor Williams, said:

"He is very competitive, very athletic, with a real appetite for hard work.
"He can play medium sized defender or midfield.
"He has a good motor and can run pretty hard."
 
Being overlooked for the state 18s side proved to be the catalyst for Peel youngster Matt Riggio taking the next step towards fulfilling his dream of playing AFL football.
The 187cm midfielder-half back was one of the last players cut from this year’s 18s squad, but the AIS/AFL Academy graduate from Waroona went away and used the disappointment as the spur for a big finish to the colts season.
The ultimate reward was selection by the Kangaroos with pick 28 in yesterday’s national draft.
Riggio said his omission from the state 18s had been a timely wake-up call.
“I was in a bit of a form slump at the time,” he said.
“That picked me up and got me going.
“I went back to Peel and tried to prove them wrong and I did that.
“This is my dream…but the hard work starts now.”
Riggio’s next task, apart from hastily packing ahead of a daunting move from rural Waroona to the big smoke of Melbourne, is learning a little bit more about his new club after being a Port Adelaide supporter as a youngster.
“I don’t know much about the club,” he said.
“I’m pretty excited and I was happy to go wherever I was picked up.
“Mum goes to Melbourne for holidays every year and it is another excuse for her to do so.”
Riggio had a hard time even finding out his fate, with the AFL website melting down under the weight of traffic.
“I was on the internet and it was stuffing up,” he said.
“I was on the phone to (Peel team-mate) Paul Bower, who was drafted at 20, and I heard my name and didn’t know what had happened.
“When I found out, my family and I were cheering.”
He paid tribute to his mother, Vicki, who he said had attended every one of his games since he was eight.
Riggio made his senior debut in Peel’s final game this year and said he settled into the increased tempo after a nervous start.
Peel colts coach Trevor Williams said Riggio was an exciting prospect.
“He’s very competitive, very athletic and has a real appetite for hard work,” he said.
“He has a good motor and can run pretty hard.”
 
Shinboners said:
I like the sound of this kid.

But the bit about mongrel "off the field"....wtf is that about?
Click to expand...


Don't bump into him when he's carrying 4 pots back from the bar!
 
http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=238528

Riggio..
"We see to put Riggio in our development group basically. He's a really aggressive kid, he'll be a player we've got no expectations about him in the first year, we'll just build him up, get him on the program and get him going basically," Stibbard said.

I'd love to know what Riggios outlet for all this aggression is.

Go Roos
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

giantroo
Past #15: Daniel Howe - #31 in '14 ND to HFC - delisted end '22 - #33 in '23 RD to NM -retires from AFL & NM end '23 - 107 AFL games / 11 NM games
12 13 14 15 16
Replies
399
Views
28K
r00boy96
r00boy96

Remove this Banner Ad

Back
Top