Electric small forward Willie Rioli is poised to make his long-awaited return to the game with his two year suspension ending at midnight this Friday, August 20.

The West Coast Eagles match committee will now make a decision on where and when Rioli resumes his career, a decision that will likely be made in the next 48 hours.

Rioli was provisionally suspended by the AFL anti-doping tribunal on the eve of the 2019 first semi-final against Geelong and handed a two-year suspension. With time served his suspension ends this week.

Under the terms of his suspension he was able to train with the club for the past two months, preparing for the resumption of his career. In an interview with Eagles Media a repentant Rioli said he would be nervously expectant about playing again.

“It has been a long journey back, but I’m grateful for it,” Rioli said. “It was mentally challenging; luckily enough I had great family support back home that helped pass the time. Waiting for the outcome was the hardest part, not knowing what my future was looking like.

“It was really important to have the support of the club, lucky enough to have Peter Staples (integrity officer), Chance Bateman, who was at the club at the time, and Jamie Bennell, who came up to Darwin. They kept my dream alive of playing AFL football again.

“(So grateful) to everyone around the club who stuck by me and believed in me. I had a bit of mixed emotions about it. I’ve learned to take things as they come and (I’m) just excited about the next chapter.”

When Rioli resumed with the club in June he was unsure of the reception he would receive from his teammates and the club more broadly.

“It was good to come back and do what I love doing, that’s to play footy,” he said. “It’s good to be back in the club environment. There’s a few of the boys who I have become really close to and are like family to me now. The club is like a sanctuary and safe place for me.

“I get nervous every game, but this will be more of a relief. It will probably be surreal to me. It will mean a lot, not only to me, but to my family who have been through the hard times.”

Rioli could play at either AFL level against Brisbane, in the WAFL or be held back until 2022 after another full pre-season.