Riley Thilthorpe, a 23-year-old forward for the Adelaide Crows, has addressed the blunt criticism following his performance in the recent AFL finals against Collingwood. AFLW footballer, Thilthorpe, made his finals debut as one of the 16 players. After the Crows went down by 24 points, he was put under loads of pressure. He openly admitted that he “couldn’t watch it for a few days” and later watched the game, acknowledging his shortcomings.
Over the course of the game, Thilthorpe notably came under fire for his reluctance at the contesting marks. Former AFL great Nick Riewoldt called out Thilthorpe’s performance in particular. He asserted that Thilthorpe didn’t like to jump and appeared to shy away when faced with physicality. This indecision was evident when Thilthorpe opted to handball to teammate Ben Keays instead of taking an open shot at goal, a decision that ultimately missed its target.
Thilthorpe reflected on his decision-making during the game, stating, “It was probably more indecision than anything.” He confided that he had been reluctant, not wanting to step on Keays’ toes. Ultimately, he decided to run underneath the ball.
Just throw it on the trunk, boot the field goal. You’re back in the game. You do, and the opportunity slips away and the Pies save you. Riewoldt commented on the missed opportunity.
In his response to that criticism, Thilthorpe agreed he thought he was playing “a little conservative” in the contest. He continued to reiterate the importance of him advocating for himself in competition, even though it played out in this awful manner during this game.
“It’s one contest out of hundreds that I’ve had all year,” he stated. “I completely back myself in.”
Thilthorpe’s performance – and more importantly, the reaction to it – has opened up important conversations about the extreme pressure put on young athletes in high-stakes situations. The finals offered a new test under the bright lights. A majority of the players on the roster were making their first ever run through competitive postseason play. His confession about flinching during marking contests has led some to question the mental toughness of players in elite, high-pressure atmospheres.
“I just thought how much the crowd would get involved, how much Keaysy would love it. He loves to celebrate, so I thought I’d get it to him,” Thilthorpe explained regarding his choice to handball instead of shooting for goal.
Thilthorpe said he “was gutted” not to find that handball. He admitted that had he pulled it off perfectly, “no one would have said anything.” After the match, he learned just how important that feedback was going to be to his development. He made a vow to himself to continue to welcome it as he moves up the ladder.
