[2][3] In 2004, he worked part-time at JB HI-FI and was in his first year at the Australian College of Natural Medicine where he was studying remedial therapy.

That year, he lost 35 kilograms (77 lb) because of his busy personal and sport schedule that included training up to six times a week, with some days having two practices.

[13] In December 2011, he was named as one of twenty-eight players to be on the 2012 Summer Olympics Australian men's national training squad.

[14][15][16] In February during the training camp, he played in a four nations test series with the teams being the Kookaburras, Australia A Squad, the Netherlands and Argentina.

[2] In 2014, Ciriello showed why he is one of the most dangerous players in world hockey and one of the best drag flickers in the history of the game.

The 'Big Dog', as he is nicknamed, slotted a hat trick of goals in both the finals of the World Cup and the Commonwealth Games leading Australia to victory.

[3] Ciriello coached a top tier group of young female athletes at Southern River Hockey Club, based in the south of Perth, WA.