DOB: 27 July 1974
Debut: Round 1, 1998 against Fremantle at Subiaco
Last Game: 2005 Elimination Final against Geelong at MCG
From: Myrtleford/Hawthorn, selection #77 1997 National Draft, selection #5 2003 Pre-Season Draft
Number: 43 (1998-2005)
Honours:
Best First Year Player - 1998
Grand Final team - 2000
Games: 107
Goals: 35
Career Statistics
Wins | Draws | Losses | Winning % |
55 | 0 | 52 | 51.40 |
Statistical categories led:
Most games in jumper 43
Most goals in jumper 43
Rigoni attracted interest from Hawthorn after a dozen senior games with Myrtleford in 1992, and after overlooking him in the 1992 National Draft, the Hawks recruited Rigoni with pick #58 in the 1993 Pre-Season Draft. He played 42 games in Hawthorn's Reserves in 1993 and 1994 before being delisted.
Returning to Myrtleford, Rigoni was one of his side's best players over the next three seasons. After winning their 1997 Best and Fairest, he was invited to play for Melbourne's Reserves in the last round of 1997. A 33 possession game, despite not knowing any of his teammates and coming off an end-of-season bender, convinced the Demons to draft him at the end of the season. He debuted in the opening round of 1998, and played 25 games in his first season. He added another 20 in 1999, becoming one of his side's key midfielders and bouncing back from being dropped after a form slump.
In 2000 he played every game, including 23 touches in the losing Grand Final side. A bulging disc in his back meant Rigoni missed every match from Round 13, 2001 to Round 3, 2003. Put on the long term injury list after Round 1, 2002 he was initially delisted, but after having the troublesome disc shaved he was able to take part in pre-season and was redrafted with selection #5 in the 2003 Pre-Season draft.
Rigoni played nine games in 2003 and seven in 2004, including the losing Elimination Final against Essendon. That year he was best on ground in the winning Sandringham VFL premiership side. He played 11 more games in 2005, including another losing Elimination Final, before appearing in another Sandringham premiership side. At the end of that year he announced his retirement, aged 31. He continued to play for Sandringham as a VFL listed player in 2006, winning another premiership that season before returning to Myrtleford.
Rigoni's daughter Jemma was drafted by Melbourne as a father/daughter selection in the 2023 AFLW National Draft.
Year | Games | Goals | Brownlow |
1998 | 25 | 6 | 1 |
1999 | 20 | 9 | 0 |
2000 | 25 | 8 | 3 |
2001 | 10 | 3 | 0 |
2003 | 9 | 3 | 1 |
2004 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
2005 | 11 | 4 | 0 |
Tribunal
Match | Charge | Sanction | |
Round 21, 1999 | Melee | $1000 fine |
Lists
Family
Media
Age - 16/03/1993, 06/05/2000, 21/12/2002
melbfc.com.au - 26/04/2001
AFANA News - 22/12/2003
Links
Australian Rules Football Wiki profile
Demonwiki image gallery
Draftguru profile
Wikipedia profile