WERRIBEE dasher Riley Bice has rocketed into AFL Draft contention this year on the back of a stellar VFL campaign. Recruited from Albury having come through the Murray Bushrangers pathway, 2024 marked the 24-year-old’s first full state league season after debuting for GWS in 2022.

Bice has excelled as a rebound defender, though spent much of his previous years as a midfielder/forward. His daring run-and-carry and sharp left-footed ball use are a couple of traits which earned him a state draft combine invite – one of just three mature-agers to do so.

His final outing for the season yielded 23 disposals, six marks and eight rebound 50s as the Bees clinched their second-ever VFA/VFL premiership over Southport at IKON Park on Sunday. We put the rising prospect’s performance under the Player Focus microscope.

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WerribeeDefender

Riley Bice

Height: 185cm

Weight: -

DOB: 26-09-2000

PLAYER FOCUS

2024 VFL Grand Final
Werribee 10.9 (69) def. Southport 8.15 (63)

#26 Riley Bice (Werribee)
Stats: 23 disposals (21 kicks, 2 handballs), 6 marks, 3 tackles, 8 rebound 50s

FIRST QUARTER:

The opening term marked a relatively steady start for Bice, though his first touch was an absolute pearler. Taking Werribee’s first kick-in – a responsibility he went on to share with Louis Pinnuck and Jesse Clark – he punted a flat and penetrative pass which cleared defensive 50 to find a teammate.

Having proven effective with his long-range kicking, Bice invited a touch of pressure by overcooking a couple of his shorter passes later in the quarter. He followed up the spill on once instance, but went on to give away a shot on goal for deliberately knocking the ball over the boundary line.

Without possession, Bice was not afraid to venture up the field and hold a high line when Werribee attacked. He couldn’t get his usual overlap running game going, but with Southport getting the better of the early stages, had a role to play as one of his side’s main defensive distributors.

SECOND QUARTER:

Southport truly began to get on top in the second quarter, while Werribee lacked its patented fluency when moving the ball by foot. What that meant for Bice was an uncharacteristically quiet opening 15 minutes, though he found his groove late in the term by helping connect the lines.

It took until the 19^th minute for Bice to have his first touch of the ball, before going on to quickly make it a handful. His opening contribution showed some impetus, as he took the kick-in and followed up his 40m pass to stay involved with the passage, getting the ball back before picking out a wide kick on the run.

He then chained a couple of uncontested marks up the ground, helping Werribee transition the ball quickly and efficiently. Bice proved that many of Werribee’s best end-to-end plays start with him, especially as he assisted Jack Riding’s late goal to give the Bees life heading into half time.

THIRD QUARTER:

Unlike in term two, Bice made a hot start in the third quarter. He received a handball at half-forward and showcased his outstanding decision making to identify a teammate inboard, before backing up his vision with elite execution on the angled kick. Unfortunately, Riding missed the resultant set shot.

Recognising that his side needed to take risks, Bice later used some of his dash and dare to play on from the kick-in and launch a booming ball down the middle to a one-on-one. That passage, and his ability to stop and prop before hitting a target as Werribee switched across half-back, were high-IQ plays.

It was no surprise, then, with Bice’s ball use beginning to shine that Werribee took control of the game. Indicative of their star rebounder, the Bees’ ball movement was much cleaner in the third quarter to compliment a lift in pressure. The result was a 20-point swing, and a lead change at the final break.

FOURTH QUARTER:

Having spent some time on the wing in term three, Bice started there in the final quarter before rotating back. He is still lightly framed but stood up when it mattered to have some handy moments in the contest, both defensively and with the hot footy in hand.

One of Bice’s best moments was his rundown tackle on Zac Foot to force a stoppage on the wing, as his intensity seemed to lift. He also impacted going forward with a forward 50 launch and productive overlap run. What’s more, he helped run down the clock in slow play en route to a tense finish.

CLOSING THOUGHTS…

It is clear to see why Bice has garnered some AFL interest having burst onto the scene at state league level this season. The VFL Team of the Year member is capable of not only racking up possessions, but making them count and penetrating his forward half with a combination of run and incisive kicking.

It will be interesting to see how his athletic profile has changed from when he was invited to the draft combine as a top-ager in 2018. There, his pace and endurance were identified as areas for improvement. Though, with the way he plays, Bice is capable of putting speed on the ball.

Strength is another area Bice can continue to built on. He has not had much previous exposure to his role across half-back but is most effective in time and space on the outside. With an uptake in speed and power at the top level, he’ll have to fill out his frame and enhance his contested capabilities.

Still, the mature-ager has strong and invaluable traits which should translate well if he gets a shot in the big leagues. Such damaging ball users – particularly by foot – are hard to come by and he has shown a good level of improvement having been overlooked as a junior. Now, he’s much more readymade.