[3] Riley worked as the Navy Scientific Adviser in 1997, and then was appointed as head of Airborne Sonar leading a research programme in support of the RAAF P3-C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and RAN Seahawk helicopters.
[3] Riley spent a year based in Washington, D.C. as Defence Science Attaché supporting liaison between Australia, the US and Canada.
Afterwards, he moved to Research Leader of Maritime Combat Systems, which included support for the Air Warfare Destroyer project.
[5] However, he had not been granted a clearance by North Adelaide, and the club was successful in getting a Supreme Court injunction to prevent him playing more games at Footscray.
After playing in their 1985 and 1986 Grand Final losses, Riley was on the half back flank when they won the 1987 premiership decider.