By Sarah Halfpenny
River Lonie’s pre-game ritual is precise: pasta and pizza the night before, followed by a blue Gatorade, a Red Bull and a handful of lollies before kick-off. It might sound unconventional and quirky, but it’s indicative of how meticulously he applies himself to every aspect of his football. It’s the same attention to detail that’s already earned the 16-year-old Mount Eliza footballer multiple Best & Fairest awards for the Frankston Dolphins, selection in the Dandenong Stingrays’ Under 16 team, and dreams of pulling on Port Adelaide’s jumper in the AFL.
Growing up in a football family – his father Nathan played AFL for Hawthorn and Port Adelaide, his uncle Ryan played for Collingwood, and cousin Oscar is also making his mark in the sport – meant footy was never just a weekend activity. “I was naturally drawn to footy and then also sort of forced to do it, but I loved it either way,” River laughs. The family influence remains strong today, with the entire clan involved in his development: “We do a lot together, the whole family, like extra fitness sessions. We always do a couple of running sessions to push each other, as well as skills sessions.”
Some of River’s earliest and most cherished memories centre around pivotal junior moments that every footballer remembers. “My first game was at Overport Park, the same ground my dad played his first game on, so that was pretty special. And I remember kicking my first goal and then looking back and seeing my whole family watching and jumping and cheering, so that was pretty good,” River recalls.
That first goal came in Under 9s against Bonbeach, but it wasn’t long before River started sensing he might have something special. “A couple of times I’d hear opposition coaches yelling my number, like, ‘Who’s on Number 12?’ That was when I’d think, ‘Yeah, I’m going alright here’.”
While football quickly became his focus, River initially juggled multiple sports. “I played footy, basketball, and cricket, I played a bit of tennis with the family,” he says. Eventually though, choices had to be made. “It was always footy and basketball. I dropped cricket a while ago, and then decided to make the switch over to footy a couple of years ago.”
Playing midfield most of the time, with an occasional stint in the forward line or the back line, River identifies his strongest asset as “accurate kicking.” But he’s not getting complacent. “I’ve tried to improve my speed and my strength; being able to burst out, push a few players off, and then explode out. That’d be my biggest improvement, I reckon.”
A major breakthrough came this year with selection for the Dandenong Stingrays Under 16 squad. “It was the goal for the year, making that squad.” The carnival games that followed were career-defining moments: “Playing in the Stingrays carnival earlier this year; they were probably the biggest games I’ve played in and the most enjoyable as well.”
Then there was last year’s Frankston Dophins Under 15 grand final heartbreak: “We played in one for the first time, and everything went wrong. One of our better players forgot his boots, then we had a game delay, plus lightning, wind, we had everything! We were the favourites, and we lost by two points.”
That hunger for collective success is partly driven by family bragging rights
Despite winning the league’s Best & Fairest last year, River’s priorities remain firmly team-focused. “It was very good, but I’d still rather a premiership over a Best & Fairest.” That hunger for collective success is partly driven by family bragging rights: “My main goal at the moment is definitely winning a premiership. I need to get one on my brother Ray, because he’s won a few, and dad’s won a few. I’m the only one who hasn’t got one yet!”
River’s weekly schedule would exhaust most teenagers. “Monday is normally pretty relaxed. That’s a day for recovery, because I play on Sundays. Tuesday, I train with the Stingrays Under 18s, so that’s all the older kids, and you can improve quickly from doing that. And then normally Wednesday, I do a speed session, a running session. Thursday is the main footy session of the week, where I’ll train with my team and then normally do some training with the senior footy club, the Frankston Bombers. They have a big influence on their Under 19s and the younger kids. Friday is normally the gym, and then a bit of recovery that night. Saturdays I go down to watch the local footy all day – dad helps out with the Under 19s team – then we watch the seniors after that. And Sunday is game day, so that’s all day.”
His football heroes reflect both family loyalty and keen appreciation for skill. “My favourite would be Marcus Bontempelli from the Western Bulldogs. He’s very good. And then from Port Adelaide I love Logan Evans. He plays off the half-back line and he’s good to watch.”
Through all the success and setbacks, family keeps River grounded. “You can’t get a big head in our house; you get shot down by your brother or your dad. It’s good.” His parents’ advice is refreshingly simple: “Just have a crack, try your best, and don’t leave anything out there.” It’s wisdom that’s serving him well as he chases his ultimate dream: “To play for Port Adelaide, because that’s the team I support.”
With his Frankston Dolphins team sitting undefeated and his Stingrays commitments intensifying, River Lonie is positioning himself perfectly for that next crucial step. The boy who once kicked his first goal at Overport Park, just like his father before him, is forging his own place in football lore.