BEN AND Willie Rioli jr carry one of the most famous names in football, and they did their family proud in a time of grief with starring roles in the Northern Territory's upset win against Vic Metro in the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships on Saturday.

Sibby Rioli, father of Ben and uncle to Willie, was laid to rest in a traditional ceremony at Garden Point on the Tiwi Islands just two days after the emotion-charged 18-point win at Darwin's TIO Stadium.

"Both boys played particularly well under really tough circumstances," AIS-AFL high performance coach Michael O'Loughlin said.

"I sat with some recruiters to watch the game, everyone was aware of that situation, and I just thought it was a brilliant effort from both of them.

"I think Sibby would have been very proud of the way they performed for NT."

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Ben and Willie jr, cousins of Hawthorn's Cyril, were among the best players in the Territory's maiden win against traditional powerhouse Vic Metro.

Ben is an over-age player for NT this year, while 16-year-old Willie Jr will be eligible for the 2013 NAB AFL Draft.  Greater Western Sydney has first call on both of them under its entry concessions. 

O'Loughlin says the pair's natural talent is undoubted, but both have some work to do to be considered by any AFL recruiters. 

"Both boys have obviously got the Rioli gene and they can really play the game," he said.

"I've known Willie now for a little bit, through indigenous programs, and he's always had the skill, but he just needs to work on his fitness. If he really sees himself as an AFL footballer then there's a few things he needs to work on.

"It's just a matter of these guys realising what's required and really knuckling down."

Ben, a late developer who is still slightly built at just 61kg, is a 179cm small defender who plays senior footy for NT Thunder in the NEAFL and has strength that belies his size, according to NT talent manager Wally Gallio.

"He's come along in leaps and bounds since last year - he's a year older and a bit more mature in a football sense," Gallio says.

"He likes to run and carry and his tackling for his size is really good.

"One his main attributes is that he's hard to shift off the line of the footy even though he's not big. He's a got a good ball sense and can stay on the line - he doesn't usually get pushed off and if he does he'll often take the footy with him.

"He's just got a knack of getting a hand in there or edging his opponent off the ball."

Willie jr, at 180cm and 80kg, is a clever small forward who has spent the past two years boarding at Melbourne's Xavier College.

That he is even participating at this year's championships is remarkable given he was placed in an induced coma in Darwin over the Christmas period after he came down with a mystery virus.

His performance against Vic Metro was a big step in the right direction and O'Loughlin is hopeful the pair can back up their good start over the rest of the carnival.

"The talent is absolutely there and now it's up to the want and the desire of these two to take it to the next level," O'Loughlin said.

"In Cyril they see what could happen, and now it's up to them to make sure that they get the Monday to Friday routine right to allow them to play well on the weekend.

"They've just got those things they need to fix up and the sky's the limit."

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs