John Noble and Daniel Rioli have become the “Darwin Dynamic Duo” of the AFL.

Don’t worry about Batman and Robin. Noble and Rioli are a devastating double-act running out of the defensive half which is pivotal to the 2026 plans of the Damien Hardwick and the prospects of the Gold Coast SUNS. 

Together they provide run and drive from the half back line that is the equal (at least) of any comparative pairing in the competition.

Noble was credited with an equal team-high 31 possessions in Saturday night’s Darwin win over St Kilda, whilst Rioli had 28 possessions – officially three contested and 24 uncontested. His uncontested tally was second only to Noble’s 30 uncontested possessions in the 29-point triumph.

And in a game in which the SUNS had 24 scoring shots Noble and Rioli had 12 score involvements.

It’s playing a role as set by coach Damien Hardwick to the max. 

Rioli and Noble joined the SUNS together over the 2024-25 summer in what history says was a twin master-stroke from SUNS GM of Football, Craig Cameron, who at the time was GM of Player Talent & Strategy.                                  

Noble was part of a complicated mega-trade which involved five players, three clubs and a host of picks in the 2024 AFL National Draft, plus first-round picks in the 2025 National Draft.

Noble moved Collingwood to the Gold Coast, Dan Houston went from Port Adelaide to Collingwood, and Port picked up Jack Lukosius and Rory Atkins from the Gold Coast, and Joe Richards from Collingwood.

The Gold Coast also secured the 2025 first round picks of Collingwood and Port, which helped secure prized 2026 recruit Christian Petracca.

The Rioli deal was much more simple – the SUNS gave pick #6 and #23 to Richmond for Rioli and four late picks which helped the club ‘pay’ for Leo Lombard, matching a St Kilda bid at pick #9.

Noble and Rioli have played together in 29 SUNS games for a 19-10 win/loss record 65.6%.

This is after the SUNS went at 47.8% in 2024 and 39.1% in 2023.

The only five games in which they have not patrolled the half back line together were from Rounds 20-24 last year, when the SUNS beat Brisbane, Richmond and Carlton, before losing to GWS and Port Adelaide.

That Rioli is a Darwin favourite is automatic. Although born in Fremantle he grew up on Melville Island, among the Tiwi Islands off the Northern Territory coast, and went to school and played football in Darwin. He always plays well there.

But Noble is a Territory convert. He had a career-best 36 possessions in his second game in Darwin last year against Hawthorn, when the SUNS won by eight points, after 23 possessions and a goal a week earlier in a 10-point win over the Western Bulldogs. 

Noble polled votes in the AFL Coaches Player of the Year Award in both games in Darwin last year – as he and Noble did on Saturday night.

Against the Saints, Hardwick and St Kilda counterpart, Ross Lyon, had Rioli and Noble in the best three players on the ground.

In a SUNS clean sweep, they voted Rioli (9), Bodhi Uwland (8), Noble (7), Noah Anderson (4), Bailey Humphrey (1) and Mac Andrew (1).

After his 31-0-30 haul against the Saints on Saturday night Noble is now officially credited with 237 total possessions, 32 contested possessions and 173 uncontested possessions this season for an uncontested possession ratio of 73.4%.

That ranks him 8^th in the League for uncontested possessions and 9^th for uncontested ratio. 

Rioli, with equivalent figures of 179-27-147, is 20^th for uncontested possessions but 2^nd for uncontested possession ratio at 82.1% - behind only the 83.3% of St.Kilda’s Brad Hill.

Also on Saturday night, Bodhi Uwland had an equal career-best 29 possessions for his eight coaches votes – the most he has received in one game in the highly-coveted award.