 In February 2009, Rioli was selected for the Indigenous All-Stars that played a pre-season match against the Adelaide Football Club.Following his successful debut season and promising start to his second, he was compared to Gary Ablett Jr., who also began his career as a small forward with the potential to become a "dominant, match-winning midfielder".This was due to the "sublime skills" he displays, and his "ability to make something out of nothing with vision and an instinct for the game."