Former teammate and current leading AFL commentator Brian Taylor noted about Rioli's on-field skills that "He was absolutely electrifying ... He was just one of the greatest natural talents I have ever seen. He was the best tackler in his day and is still the best tackler I have ever seen." Richmond legend and Rioli's first coach at the Tigers, Francis Bourke, and former teammate and star player Geoff Raines, were amongst others to also pay tribute to Rioli in the days after his death.