Former West Coast midfielder Xavier Ellis has criticised Junior Rioli’s desired trade as the 2018 premiership player looks set to land at Port Adelaide for next season.
The 27-year-old is at the end of the contract extension he signed with the Eagles in 2019 – a deal which subsequently overlapped with Rioli serving a two-year ban for substituting a urine drug test.
Rioli completed a medical assessment at the Power and meet with Port legend Shaun Burgoyne on Monday, telling 9News Adelaide he would “hopefully” be at the club next year.
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The potential move caps off a tumultuous 18 months for the forward which also carried personal tragedy when his father, Willie Sr, passed suddenly in July.
In weighing up his future, Rioli said he was seeking a contract offer that would provide stability for him and his family.
”To play the best footy you’ve got to be comfortable, and for me, I learnt that when I wasn’t playing footy,” he said.
“I was playing good footy, but I wasn’t comfortable, I wasn’t stable. So I’d like to be stable and I know I’ll get the best out of my footy.”
However, it was these comments that angered Ellis, given the club stood by Rioli during his two-year suspension for doping.
“I’ll tell you what would make you comfortable – getting paid for two years when you’re banned for two years, that would make you pretty comfortable,” Ellis told Triple M.
“Not having to pay for the QC fees of your cases that you’ve had the last two years, to have them waived. That would make me feel a bit comfortable.
“Rioli, I think you owe West Coast.”
Having only made his return from his infamous ban this season – and making only 13 appearances because of injury and personal leave – Ellis said Rioli should feel obligated to repay the club with his services.
“You might get a better deal at Port, but what West Coast’s done for you over the last three years – you’ve played in two victories in the last three years. I think he owes West Coast something.
“Not many players owe football clubs anything – it’s a business deal, it is literally: ‘shake hands, I perform a contract’ – it’s much deeper here.
“Of course he was banned for two years, twice tampered with drug samples, pled guilty for drugs in an airport and has freely moved back and forth around WA back home more than any other player on the list the last few years as well.
“I think he owes it to West Coast to stick it out.”
Ellis also countered reports that Rioli’s potential deal at Port Adelaide was “lucrative” when compared to West Coasts’ offering.
“There’s money there; [West Coast] have offered him good money – similar money to Port Adelaide and similar years. I think it’d be a wise thing to stay at West Coast … and I think he does owe it to them,” he said.
“I think he’s been well and truly over-cared for more than anything.
“I think they’ve been pretty good to him. He’s been looked after above and beyond.”
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