Port Adelaide president David Koch has backed in Willie Rioli to play this week and detailed the “horrifying” abuse directed at Indigenous players, as the AFL looks further into his behaviour.

Rioli was let off with a warning after apologising for sending a threatening private message to a Western Bulldogs player about Bailey Dale.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Port Adelaide face media over Willie Rioli drama.

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The league put out a brief statement, saying it had “reminded both clubs to ensure any communications remain respectful”.

But Rioli’s previous on-field threats towards Geelong and Essendon players have since come to light and caught the AFL off-guard.

Koch admitted they remain “incredibly angry about the situation” after the Bulldogs game.

“And Willie knows that,” he told FiveAA.

“What’s said on the field is one thing. What’s done off the field, and particularly on social media and a private message to another player who he thought would stay private but then was passed on, it gets very complicated.

“We talked pretty sternly to Willie about it and said it’s just not on.”

Koch, speaking on Wednesday morning, said Port Adelaide had not been informed by the AFL that it had reopened discussions about Rioli’s incidents.

He also declared the club would make the call to stand down the 29-year-old in part because there is a “bigger picture” at play.

“And this is what we deal with within the club that most people don’t understand,” Koch said.

“It’s not just Willie, it’s Indigenous players across every club — we have the highest representation of Indigenous players of any club and have always had that.

“So it’s a really important part of our DNA as a club, both on-field and our work in our Indigenous programs in the community is to support these players and these staff as well.

“You’ve got absolutely no idea of what they go through both on-field — on-field is one thing — but off-field as well.

“The threats that we receive as a club against our Indigenous players would just horrify you, and and we see a responsibility to protect them in that situation as well.

“This is their workplace, some of the things said on-field in the heat of the battle is one thing. Off-field and on social media is totally different.

“That’s why we’re really angry with Willie and what he did and there’s absolutely no excusing that, and don’t get me wrong on it.

“But we’ve got a duty to support the players and turn a bit of attention on what society is doing to these players.”

Channel 7’s Caroline Wilson reported on The Agenda Setters that it was “a deeply sensitive situation”.

Rioli had been “traumatised” by the problems his relative Cyril Rioli had with his former club Hawthorn, she said.

Port coach Ken Hinkley is due to speak to the media on Wednesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Essendon coach Brad Scott has been made aware of Rioli’s alleged threat towards an unnamed Bombers player, but declared it’s “not our issue, it’s a Port Adelaide and AFL issue”.

“Our players have zero concerns,” Scott said on Wednesday.

“Our players feel that whatever was said or done on the field against Port Adelaide should stay on the field, and we’re not interested in engaging beyond this.

“I think people can draw their own conclusions as to whether they (the AFL) are consistent or inconsistent (in sanctioning players).”

But Scott believed “what happens happens on the field should stay on the field”.

“Clearly over the decades, expectations have quite rightfully changed in line with broader community expectations,” he said.

“The AFL have been industry, if not world leaders, in terms of tackling issues like racism.

“We absolutely know there is no space or place for racism on or off-field.

“But on field, it’s a competitive environment, and what would be defined as a threat could be a pretty loose term.

“We play a combative sport, and I would expect our players to be combative, but I would expect them to do that within the realms of sportsmanship and also broader community expectations.”

- with AAP