By Aaron Cordy
SHEPPARTON United and Murray Bushranger, Riley Onley, strut his stuff on the MCG on Grand Final Day with some of the best 17-year-olds in the country as part of the 2024 Marsh AFL National Futures Boys match.
In its seventh year, the annual Futures match has been named after recently retired AFL stars Dyson Heppell and Rory Sloane. Riley, a powerfully built modern midfield bull in the mould of Brownlow Medallist Patrick Cripps played for the Sloane side.
Despite the Sloane team going down to the Heppell side by seven points, Riley Onley put in a performance that will have his name on the lips of AFL recruiters with 20 disposals, seven marks, three inside 50s and a goal to cap off what was a brilliants experience for the young man.
“It was a dream come true. Previous year I looked at it with my dad, and I’ve been like, I really want to play in this game,” said Riley about running out on MCG on Grand Final day.
“A year ago, I was happy to make the Bushies, and now I’m a state captain, so it’s a pretty sick experience. It was pretty cool to play amongst the best players in Australia. It was pretty surreal. You dream of playing on the ‘G.’ Hopefully, I get to there play more.
“When you get to walk out there with the likes of Dyson Sharp and Zeke Uwland, and the media hypes them up to be really gun players, and they’ve got really good standards. Walking out, warming up with them, making relationships with them was pretty sick.
“You see yourself on the big screen as they zoom in during the warm-ups is pretty sick. It is the most prestigious stadium in Australia, on the best oval in the world, on grand Final Day, when the best two teams playing.”
Playing in the game last week may have been a dream come true for the talented youngster, but he will continue to challenge himself as he hopes to become an AFL academy member this November, which is considered the best pipeline onto an AFL list.
Riley has worked hard with AFL champion Michael Barlow and Bushrangers coach Mark Brown to elevate his game to the next level. The rewards of this saw him co-captain of Vic Country and his inclusion in the Futures match.
“Riley has had a really good under 16-17 experience with the Murray Bushrangers and the state academy program. More importantly, the experience he’s had with Shepp United, who continue to support some really talented players coming up through their junior programs,” said Murray Bushrangers Talent Manager Mick Wilsons.
