WHEN exciting West Coast forward Willie Rioli disappeared from his mum's TV screen during AFLX she knew something was wrong.
Rioli had just lit up the Eagles' venture into the new competition, booting three goals against Adelaide in a mouthwatering taste of what the trimmed-down goal-sneak promises this season.
But his mother, at home on the Tiwi Islands, immediately became worried when her son didn't feature against Collingwood, picking up the phone mid-game to ask player services manager Ian Miller, 'Where's Willie?'.
She was told Rioli had copped a knock to his knee and, given his injury history, the club was just being cautious.
"The next three days I got non-stop calls from mum saying, 'What did the scans say, what did the doctors say?'," Rioli told AFL.com.au this week.
There was a collective sigh of relief from family and fans alike when it was revealed Rioli's issue wasn't anything to do with his troublesome hamstrings and wasn't serious.
The 22-year-old, who missed a golden opportunity to make his debut last year when his body let him down twice, will sit out West Coast's opening JLT Community Series clash with Port Adelaide on Sunday.
However, he is certain he'll be fit and firing for the Eagles' last official pre-season game against Fremantle on March 11.
"I think I'll be ready easily by JLT2," Rioli said.
"It's just fluid, pretty much, and a bit of bruising.
"It's positive news – nothing too bad."
It's a good result for the 175cm dynamo, who deserves a slice of luck on the injury front.
Rioli shed 16kg before being snapped up with pick 52 in the 2016 NAB AFL Draft, but then disaster struck last February when he tore his hamstring tendon.
A setback at East Perth halted his mid-season comeback and he never pulled on an Eagles jumper last year.
That was why representing West Coast in AFLX meant plenty to Rioli and his family.
Now he's desperate to play senior football, and that should happen sooner rather than later after he committed to a tough off-season training regime.
Rioli boasts a bloodline of football royalty and a ton of natural ability, but keeping on top of his weight has been his issue.
So this summer, while Rioli was back home to be around family, fishing, hunting and kicking the footy, it wasn't just a holiday.
He followed a tough fitness program, changed his eating habits and trained with the Tiwi Bombers to keep up his touch.
"It was hard because (cousin and Richmond premiership star) Daniel couldn't run (due to his broken foot), so it was hard doing the running myself," Rioli said.
"I did main training with my local club up there and then I'd do my extra running at the end to get my kilometres up.
"I remember me and the dietitian Simone (Allen) and 'JG' (forwards coach Jaymie Graham) sat down and (talked about) what I needed to do and they cautioned me on what size serves I was eating.
"I love food. Growing up my mum and aunties were all good cooks. I wasn't shy of eating.
"(But) I was really fussing on how much I was eating. My partner helped me as well, so when I put too much on the plate she would make sure I put salad on.
"When I was back home there's no junk food or anything over there, so I pretty much was eating fish and salad.
"I've come back in good nick."
Rioli's weight has dipped to 77kg and he's noticed the difference in his mobility.
He no longer worries in the back of his mind about his hamstrings popping either.
Soon after Rioli tore his tendon last year, his phone rang and up flashed his cousin Cyril's name, with the Hawthorn star ready to offer guidance about strengthening his legs.
The four-time premiership Hawk rebuilt his dodgy hamstrings by sprinting up hills, and advised his younger cousin to overload his legs to make them almost bulletproof.
"The first time I did (my hamstring) I remember that afternoon I got a call from him," Rioli said.
"He told me what type of stuff he had to do in his rehab.
"I'm lucky enough we live on an island so we have a lot of sand so I did sprints on the beach, that was my little program."
Now Rioli is hitting personal bests in his top-speed sprinting, has changed his running technique and is also feeling the benefits from yoga.
"We had to get some flex into it, so right now I'm doing a lot of mobility stuff that before I came into the system I never thought I'd be doing, like yoga, which is actually fun."
'Fun' is the word Rioli often repeats when he talks about football, and a broad smile crosses his face when the topic turns to high-flying teammate Liam Ryan.
"He's got all the tricks. I love seeing him dominate at training. He's definitely someone the fans should look forward to," Rioli said.
"Being indigenous definitely helped build our connection closer, but I was good friends with him before he got to the club.
"We just know where each other is going to be (on the field).
"I'd rather him go up for the marks. If he doesn't grab it I'll be down under his feet.
"I said to him, 'Hopefully you drop them all'."
There is a sense of keen anticipation in WA football circles about watching Ryan step up to the elite level after dominating at Subiaco, but there will inevitably also be a spotlight on Rioli given his famous last name.
It's something he's used to, and his family tells him to enjoy the moment when it arrives, do his bit to help the team win and be proud to represent his community.
"As long as I go out there, have fun and do what I love best the name doesn't get to me," Rioli said.
"Coming from a small community I know how much I mean to kids from where I'm from – not just from Tiwi but from all over the (Northern) Territory.
"If I can help one or two Tiwi kids get somewhere and move away from home to chase their dreams as well, that would be my goal."
