DOB: 18 October 1984
Debut: Round 19, 2003 against Geelong at MCG
Last MFC Match: Round 23, 2012 against Fremantle at Subiaco
From: North Adelaide, Selection #26, 2002 National Draft
Number: 27 (2003-2012)
Honours
Rising Star Nominee - Round 3, 2004 vs Western Bulldogs
Rising Star Winner - 2004
Mark of the Year nominee - Round 13, 2004
Life Member - 2015
Games: 150 (194 total)
Goals: 18
Career Statistics
| Wins | Draws | Losses | Winning % |
| 54 | 3 | 93 | 36.00 |
Statistical categories led:
Equal most games in jumper 27
The South Australian represented his state at the 2001 Under 18 championships, but missed the 2002 titles with a wrist injury. In that time he played seniors at North Adelaide and impressed enough to be drafted in the second round of that year's National Draft.
After playing the last three games of 2003, Rivers played every game in a breakout 2004 season in which he played an important role in the Demons' defence. While the team failed to make it past the first week of the finals, Rivers got his reward for effort in the form of the 2004 Rising Star award. He received maximum votes from all eight judges.
Rivers struggled to maintain the same standard in 2005, and when he suffered a broken hand in Round 17 it was the end of his season. He was fit for the last two games of the year and the Elimination Final but was not selected.
2006 saw Rivers bounce back to become one of the side's key defenders in a finals run. After a promising start, seemingly having gotten his career back on track after suffering second year blues, Rivers saw his 2007 and 2008 seasons destroyed by Osteitis Pubis.
In a make-or-break 2009 Rivers returned to play 20 games, and despite the Demons finishing last he was one of the side's best defenders. He was elevated to the leadership group for the 2010 season and despite being dropped after round 1 bounced back to play every game from round 6 onwards.
In his third straight year free of serious injury Rivers played 20 of 22 games in 2011 and, despite a nightmare afternoon against Collingwood where he was monstered by Travis Cloke, he proved to be one of his side's most capable defenders and finished second in that year's Best and Fairest count.
With the Demons sorely lacking tall forward options in the second half of 2012 Rivers was used as the side's main attacking target after Mitch Clark suffered a season ending injury. After kicking just five goals in his career - and one in five years - before the season he added 13 to his tally during the year.
At the end of 2012 Rivers joined Geelong as an unrestricted free agent. He missed almost four months of the season with injury but played in their three finals matches. He played another 22 games in 2014, including both finals and 12 in 2015 before retiring and joining Collingwood as a development coach. From 2017 to 2019 he coached the Magpies' VFL side before joining North Melbourne as defensive coach for 2020. In 2021 he coached amateur club Collegians.
| Year | Games | Goals | Brownlow |
| 2003 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | 22 | 0 | 1 |
| 2005 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | 22 | 4 | 0 |
| 2007 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | 20 | 1 | 0 |
| 2012 | 22 | 13 | 0 |
| Match | Charge | Sanction | |
| Round 8, 2005 | Striking | 2 matches | |
| Elimination Final 2006 | Wrestling | $900 fine | |
| Round 5, 2009 | Umpire Contact | $2600 fine | |
| 2012 Practice Match vs Port Adelaide | Wrestling | $1200 fine | |
Lists
Interstate recruits
SANFL
Media
2003 player profile
melbournefc.com.au - 18/10/2012
afl.com.au - 05/11/2016
nmfc.com.au - 12/09/2019