Port Adelaide forward Willie Rioli has withdrawn himself from selection for Saturday night’s Showdown against Adelaide before later being handed a one-match ban from the AFL.

The 29-year-old avoided sanction for sending an intimidating private message to a Western Bulldogs player about Bailey Dale, but two further verbal threats in the past 12 months thrust his behaviour back into the spotlight.

Port rallied to support their man despite being “incredibly angry” with the Bulldogs situation and aware he needed to answer to the AFL.

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Rioli was still expected to play in the Showdown as of Wednesday morning but the tide quickly shifted ahead of a training session that afternoon.

“Willie Rioli has taken matters into his own hands,” SEN’s Gerard Whateley reported on Thursday morning.

“From the Rioli camp, I’ve been told that has withdrawn from Saturday night’s Showdown.

“I think you can read between the lines as to the toll that this drawn-out process has taken on Willie across the course of the week.”

Rioli issued a statement later on Thursday.

“This morning I informed the club that I had withdrawn from Saturday night’s Showdown,” Rioli said.

“With all the stress from this week, I feel it’s best for me and the team that I take a break.

“I again acknowledge that my actions after last weekend’s game against the Bulldogs were totally unacceptable.

“I apologised to Bailey Dale on Monday and I want to publicly apologise again for the stress my actions have caused.

“I say things from time to time on the footy field in the heat of the moment that I wish I didn’t and I’m continuing to work with the club on managing this moving forward.”

He said it was not in his “true character to say those things” and he apologised for any distress he had caused to individuals or their families.

“I want to thank the Port Adelaide Football Club and all of my teammates and coaches for their support,” he said.

The AFL later confirmed on Thursday that Rioli will receive a one-match ban and also undertake an education program on respectful / non-violent language and conduct to be prescribed by the AFL.

“We understand in a competitive and at times combative environment there are exchanges between players on field, but they still need to be in the realms of respect and sportsmanship and that applies to everyone.” AFL General Counsel Stephen Meade said.

“After receiving the additional information about further threats, we investigated and determined Rioli should not be eligible to play this week and that he undertakes further education around a pattern of behaviour we don’t want to see in any part of our game – on or off the field.

“Respect for each other, whether players, coaches, fans, is the cornerstone of our AFL community and it is a reminder for everyone involved to treat each other with respect.”

Power football boss Chris Davies said on Wednesday it had not been an easy time for Rioli.

“With what he’s gone through in the last 24 hours, not taking away from the fact that we’re dealing with a real issue here, it’s fair that he will see how he goes after training (to decide if he plays),” Davies said.

“We’ll continue to try and support him as much as we can, if that means pulling him out of the game, then we’ll do that.”

The AFL put out a brief statement on Monday, saying it had reminded Port Adelaide and the Bulldogs “to ensure any communications remain respectful”.

Rioli’s interactions with Geelong and Essendon players over the past 12 months then came to light, catching the AFL off guard.

The AFL met with Rioli and Davies afterwards.

Earlier on Wednesday, Port president David Koch said the club was “incredibly angry” about the situation.

“We’ve talked pretty sternly to Willie about it and said it’s just not on,” Koch told 5AA.

“I’m making absolutely no excuse for Willie’s private message after the game.

“But you can’t mix on-field and off-field comments or it will lead to places people don’t want to go.”

But Koch did stand up for Rioli and other Indigenous players at Port and in the AFL.

“You’ve got absolutely no idea what they go through, both on-field and off-field,” he said.

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

“It’s a build-up of pressure and abuse that they’ve received and every individual handles that differently and that’s what we’ve got to take into account.

“There’s no excusing that, don’t get me wrong, but we have a duty to support the players.”

Essendon coach Brad Scott was made aware of Rioli’s alleged threat towards his 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.

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

“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.

“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