Bachar Houli
Bachar Houli is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League. He is a two-time premiership player with Richmond and was named an All-Australian half-back during his 2019 premiership winning season. Houli is the first devout Muslim and third Muslim overall to play in the AFL. He previously played 26 matches over four seasons with after being drafted to the club from junior football with the Western Jets.
Early life and junior football
Houli was born in Australia to Lebanese parents who had migrated in the 1970s. He grew up in the western Melbourne suburbs of Altona North and Tarneit, and attended high school at Werribee Islamic College. He was raised a devout Muslim, praying five time a day and observing a comprehensive fast during the holy month of Ramadan.He followed his older brothers into Australian rules football in his late pre-teens, but hid his participation from his parents who preferred he focus his efforts on schooling. In his first season of competitive junior football in 2000, he won the under-12 best and fairest award while playing for Spotswood Football Club in the Western Region Football League, which was discovered by his parents who only later came to accept and encourage his footballing efforts. He went on to win another two league best and fairest awards in his junior years before playing representative football with the Western Jets in the TAC Cup.
In 2004, Houli was selected play for and captain the Victorian Metropolitan region at the AFL under-16 championships.
In 2006, he was selected to represent the Victorian Metropolitan region side at the AFL Under 18 Championships. He kicked one goal in a match against South Australia and another two against Western Australia and was among his side's best players in each. His performances helped keep his side undefeated through three matches and earned a premiership win at the tournament.
After consulting with a Sheikh, Houli decided to break his Ramadan fast for three days during the physical endurance tests at the AFL Draft Camp, after which he recorded impressive results. Prior to the 2006 national draft, AFL Media projected Houli would be taken by Essendon with the 47th pick.
AFL career
Essendon (2007–2010)
2007 season
Houli was drafted by the Essendon Football Club with the club's fifth selection and the 42nd pick overall in the 2006 AFL national draft.He first represented Essendon in an exhibition match against the Indigenous All-Stars in Darwin in early February 2007. Houli spent the opening weeks of the season playing reserves-grade football with the club's VFL-affiliate Bendigo Bombers, where he played as a half-forward and midfielder and recorded 30 or more disposals in three of his first five matches. Following those performances, he earned an AFL debut in a round 7 match against the Kangaroos, where he recorded 15 disposals and kicked one goal. Houli followed that effort with a two-goal showing in round 8, before lesser performances in round 9 and 10 saw him returned to VFL level for the rest of the 2007 season. He finished the year having played four AFL matches and averaged 11 disposals and 0.75 goals per game.
2008 season
Houli turned in a series of strong performances in the 2008 pre-season NAB Cup tournament, including with 17 disposals in the first half of a match against that saw AFL Media label him among his side's best players. In addition to previous roles as a half-forward and midfielder, he began playing as a half-back during this time. Those efforts saw him hold his place into the season-proper, where he played in a dual role as midfielder and half-back and recorded 26 disposals in a win over the that earned him the league's first Rising Star nomination of the year. Though he missed round 9 with a virus, Houli otherwise held his place at senior level over the first 11 weeks of the season, playing primarily on the club's half-back line, including with a two-goal, 23-disposal game in round 5 that earned him his first Brownlow Medal vote. Houli missed round 12's match against West Coast with a groin injury, which after several weeks of rehabilitation and little progress, was identified as the beginning of osteitis pubis. The injury required surgery to repair and would effectively rule him out for the remainder of the season. Houli played 10 AFL matches and averaged 19 disposals per game in 2008, earning himself 17th place in the club's best and fairest count.2009 season
After returning from injury, Houli regained his spot in Essendon's best 22 for the opening round of the 2009 season. Despite six marks and 18 disposals, Houli was dropped back to reserves level immediately following that match. Houli was regularly named a non-playing AFL emergency over the following six weeks and earned media praise from Essendon officials for his VFL output, before being recalled for round 7 of the AFL season. He held his spot at senior level for a further five weeks, including in round 10 where he recorded a then career-best 31 disposals. Houli missed round 12 due to a virus, but was not immediately recalled to AFL football following his recovery. Instead, he spent another seven matches at the lower level with consistently strong performances before returning for a single match at AFL level in round 19. Houli suffered a leg injury while training in the week that followed, with scans later revealing it to be a fractured fibula that would rule him out for the rest of the 2009 season. He finished the year having played just seven matches, but again lifting his disposals output to 22.4 per game.2010 season
Houli removed from his 2009 injury to complete a full pre-season training program ahead of the 2010 season, but started the year outside the club's AFL 22. After playing VFL football with Bendigo, he made consecutive AFL appearances with 25 and 19 disposals in round 3 and 4 respectively, before being dropped back to the reserves ahead of round 5. Despite strong and consistently high output performances, Houli was restricted to VFL football for the longest period of his career with 13 weeks away, before finally earning an AFL recall in round 17. He played just three matches at AFL level before he was again dropped back to reserves level following a round 19 loss to. He finished the year averaging 20 disposals per game over five appearances at AFL level, and placed third in the Bendigo Bombers' best and fairest count after spending most of the season at reserves level.Houli came out of contract at the end of the 2010 season bearing significant frustration towards Essendon after failing to gain regular senior selection under departing coach Matthew Knights. Despite consulting with the newly appointed Essendon coach James Hird in October, Houli formalised his rejection of a contract extension by requesting a trade to. After protracted negotiations in which Fox Footy and the Herald Sun reported Essendon has demanded a second-round pick and Richmond had offered a third rounder in pick 46, no trade could be agreed to by the two clubs. Though Essendon retained his rights, Houli's ongoing refusal to sign with the club saw him instead nominate for the forthcoming pre-season draft. He departed Essendon after four years and 26 AFL games at the club.
Richmond (2011–''present'')
2011 season
After the failed trade talks, Houli was drafted by with the club's first selection and the third pick overall in the pre-season draft.He immediately earned AFL selection, making his debut for the club in round 1's season opening match against. In round 5, Houli recorded 30 disposals and was named by AFL Media as one of his side's best players. He played a dual role as a midfielder and defender and continued to impress over the following months, including with a two-goal haul in round 7's win over and 30 or more disposals in rounds 6, 10 and 17. Houli was also best afield and received the maximum three Brownlow Medal votes following a then career-best 32 disposals in a round 21 win over. By season's end Houli had solidified himself as an important rebounding half-back for Richmond, playing in all 22 matches that season and earning the Fred Swift Medal for fourth place in the club's best and fairest count.
2012 season
Houli began the 2012 season in what AFL Media described as "good touch", averaging 25 disposals across the opening three rounds of the year. Houli signed a new two-year contract extension with the club in late June, to which point he averaged 22 disposals per game over 12 consecutive matches that year. In round 22, AFL Media named Houli one of Richmond's best players with 26 disposals in a win over, while in round 23, Houli received four Coaches' Association Award votes as the equal third best player in a draw with. Houli finished the season having played in all 22 matches for the second straight season, while recording the second most rebound 50s and fifth most disposals of any player at the club that year. He also placed equal 10th in the club's best and fairest count.2013 season
Prior to the 2013 season, Houli was labelled "elite" by the AFL's statistical partner Champion Data who placed him in the very top category of general defenders in the league. He played a full suite of pre-season matches and started the season well, including with a career-high 13 marks in round's win over. Two weeks later he recorded 25 disposals in a win over that earned him three Coaches' Award votes as the fourth best player on the field. He bettered that output following the round 11 bye, attracting four coaches votes and one Brownlow Medal vote for 26 disposals and seven rebound-50s in a win over in round 12, before earning another two Brownlow votes for a 25 disposal and one goal performance against in round 13. Houli was named to play but eventually a late withdrawal with hamstring soreness in round 15, and would ultimately miss one further game with the injury before making a return in round 17. At the end of the home and away season, Houli underwent scans to diagnose minor abductor pain he had been dealing with for most of the season. He was declared fit enough to play in his first finals match and the club's first finals appearance in 12 years, contributing 20 disposals in a knockout elimination final loss to. Houli finished the year having played 21 matches and placed 10th in the club's best and fairest count.2014 season
Houli signed a new two-year contract extension before the start of the 2014 season and started the year averaging 20 disposals per game over the first eight matches of the season. He played his 100th AFL match in a 113-point demolition of in round 10, in which he managed 26 disposals and kicked two goals. Four weeks later he recorded a then-career-high 33 disposals in a loss to. Through the first 16 rounds of the year, Houli was having what club legend and media commentator Matthew Richardson described as "a fairly consistent season", but it round 17 he put in what Richardson called Houli's best game of the year. For a performance that included 23 disposals, seven rebound-50s and a goal in that win over, Houli was also labelled the equal-best player on field by The Age. In round 22 Houli recorded an equal-game high 29 disposals, after which point he ranked 14th in the league for total uncontested possessions that season. Houli featured in Richmond's finals campaign in 2014, but was again limited to one game when his side was knocked out in an elimination final loss to. He was among his side's best players in the loss, with 27 disposals and four marks. Later that month, Houli represented Richmond in Grand Final sprint during the game's half-time break. Houli finished the season having played all 23 matches that year including one final, and placed ninth in the club's best and fairest award.2015 season
After a strong pre-season showing, Houli started the 2015 season in good form with a 32 disposals, 11 intercepts and nine rebound-50s in a round 3 performance that earned him eight coaches votes as second best on ground in that win over the. Houli was subject to racial vilification during the following week's match, with radio broadcaster John Burns later apologising publicly for yelling slurs from the stands at Houli while attending the round 5 match between Richmond and. Houli responded with a fantastic performance in round 6, recording game-highs of nine marks and 33 disposals along with one goal to earn six coaches votes as Richmond's best player in the loss to. He played his 100th match for Richmond in round 13 and after 16 rounds he ranked fourth in the league for total rebound-50s that season.Houli continued to add strong performances in the final weeks of the season, including with two goals and 29 disposals in round 21 and with another goal when played as a forward for parts of the final game of the home and away season. For the third straight season, Houli and his Richmond side earned a spot in the finals but were contained to just one match, this time losing an elimination final to
2016 season
Houli showed elite ball-winning form in the 2016 pre-season and carried this into the early weeks of the season proper, breaking his own career-best total in consecutive weeks with 35 and 36 disposals in rounds 2 and 3, respectively. He led the side with 34 disposals in a round 6 loss to, but his uneven impacts saw AFL Media label his output "subdued" over the opening seven weeks of the season. In the lead up to round 8, Houli suffered a broken right wrist while training. The injury required surgery to repair and took more than 10 weeks to fully heal. He made his return through the VFL in late-July, in what was his first reserves grade match since joining Richmond from Essendon in 2010. After a successful run at the lower level, Houli returned to AFL football in round 19 with 21 disposals in a loss to. He returned to form with 30 disposals and a match-high six inside-50s in round 20 and after 22 rounds he ranked seventh in the league for average rebound-50s and eighth for marks per game that season. After playing in each of the club's final five matches of the season, Houli finished the year having played 12 AFL matches and placed 17th in the club's best and fairest count.2017 season
Houli experienced an interrupted 2016/17 pre-season training program due to a persistent but minor hamstring injury, though ultimately managed game time in the pre-season series before lining up for his 150th AFL game in round 1's win over. In round 5 he received one coaches vote for 24 disposals in an ANZAC Day eve win over. Houli then turned in exceptional performances on either of the side of the round 12 bye, with 31 disposals, eight intercepts and seven coaches votes in round 11 to go with 28 disposals, seven rebound-50s and two coaches votes in round 13. He was named among the club's best players the following week in a match against but was reported for striking opponent Jed Lamb in the head with an off-ball, blind round arm swing in the first quarter of that win. Houli successful argued the penalty from four weeks down to two at the AFL Tribunal with a defense that featured character statements from witnesses including broadcaster Waleed Aly and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. In an unprecedented move, the AFL appealed the decision of their own independent tribunal, with the appeals board later ruling to increase Houli's suspension to four weeks. Houli returned to football with 25 disposals and nine score involvements in round 19's win over and played in each of the club's final five home and away season matches. He contributed 20 disposals in a qualifying win over in the opening week of the finals and added another 21 disposals and seven marks in a preliminary final performance AFL Media described as "instrumental in the Tigers maintaining momentum" in the win over. Houli was among the best players in the 2017 AFL Grand Final, notching 25 disposals and kicking a goal in a win over that earned him a perfect ten coaches votes along with second place in the Norm Smith Medal voting. His contribution helped Richmond to its first premiership in 37 years and made Houli a premiership player in his 11th season in the AFL. Houli also placed equal-eighth in the club's best and fairest count.2018 season
Houli suffered a minor calf injury in the club's opening pre-season match of 2018, the recovery for which held him out of the rest of the pre-season series and from the round 1 match-up against. He returned to fitness for round 2's grand final rematch against and contributed 17 disposals. AFL Media named Houli among Richmond's best players in four of the next five matches, including in his 150th match for Richmond in round 7. In the first quarter of round 10's match against, Houli suffered a serious groin injury while kicking that saw him removed from the game after notching just four disposals. Although the injury did not require surgery, Houli spent six weeks rehabilitating the muscle, during which time he also underwent finger surgery to repair an unrelated injury. He made a return to football in round 17, but further groin soreness forced him to limit the stint to just one match. Houli spent a further two weeks on the sidelines before making a return to football in limited game time in one VFL match in early-August. Finally fit, Houli played at AFL level again in round 21 and earned one coaches vote for a 26 disposal outing against. Houli was an honoury captain the following week, joining fellow Muslim player and opponent Adam Saad to toss the coin in support of the Muslim-Australian community who had been the subject of racist comments by conservative Senator Fraser Anning in Parliament that week. After helping Richmond to the minor premiership as the ladder-leading side at the end of the home and away season, Houli contributed 24 disposals and four tackles in a qualifying final win over. Houli was one of Richmond's few strong contributors in the preliminary final the following week, notching 22 disposals and a goal in what would prove a shock knock-out loss to that ended Richmond's season and limited Houli to just 15 matches at AFL level that year.2019 season
Houli found great form in the 2019 pre-season series before contributing 24 disposals as one of Richmond's best in the season-opening match against. He suffered a minor hamstring strain during that match and missed three weeks of football to rest the muscle, before returning in round 5's win over. Houli earned seven coaches votes as second best on ground with a match-high 32 disposals the following week, and a further four votes as third best on ground with 35 disposals in round 9. In the Dreamtime at the 'G match in round 10, Houli received the Yiooken Award as best on ground for a performance that included a career-high 37 disposals and 814 metres gained. To that point, Houli ranked fourth among all players in the league for effective disposals per game and sixth in average metres gained. Houli quickly revised his own career best mark the following week, adding 38 disposals in a loss to that helped him in maintaining a career-best average of 29.3 disposals per game at the mid-season bye. In round 19, he played his 200th AFL match, and recorded 31 disposals, his seventh tally above 30 touches in 15 games to that point in 2019. Houli continued his form through the final weeks of the season and received coaches votes in rounds 20, 22 and 23 for another three matches with 30 or more disposals. At the end of the home and away season, Houli was named in the All-Australian team for the first time in his career and recorded a career-best 11 Brownlow Medal votes.In the opening week of the finals, Houli contributed 15 disposals in his side's qualifying final victory of the. He was among his side's best in the preliminary final a fortnight later, notching 32 disposals and 11 marks to help Richmond to a comeback win over and a place in the grand final. Houli became a two-time premiership player the following week after Richmond defeated by 89 points in the 2019 AFL Grand Final. Once again, Houli placed second behind Dustin Martin for best afield honours, after a fantastic performance that included 26 disposals and seven marks. Houli placed third in the Coaches' Association's Gary Ayres award for player of the finals and was named as the league's third best defender and 24th best player overall in the Herald Sun chief football reporter Mark Robinson's list of the league's best players in 2019. After a season in which he played 22 matches, became a two-time premiership player and earned an All-Australian honour, Houli also placed seventh in the club's best and fairest count.
2020 season
Houli suffered from a calf strain in the 2019/20 off-season that limited his training load until early February. He returned to fitness in time to play his first match for the year in the AFL's fundraising State of Origin for Bushfire Relief Match in February, where he helped Victoria to a 46-point victory over the All-Stars. Houli sat out 's first pre-season match that same weekend but returned for the club's final pre-season match against a week later. In the week leading into round 1, Houli suffered a calf strain while training that would rule him out from the season opening match against. He was able to rest the injury over an extraordinary 11-week break, after the AFL Commission that weekend suspended the season due to state border crossing restrictions enforced as a result of the rapid progression of the coronavirus pandemic into Australia. Despite some continuing calf troubles during the break, Houli made his return when the league did, featuring in round 2's draw with when it was finally played in the second week of June. Like round 1, that match was played without crowds in attendance due to a prohibition on large gatherings and with playing time reduced by one fifth as part of a shortened 17-round season that planned for the possibility of further interruptions.Player profile
Houli plays as a rebounding half-back. He is notable for combining his long kicking power and physical running ability to provide forward momentum and metreage off half-back, but has been criticised for his defensive diligence and ability for parts of his career. He spent his first 18 months at AFL level rotating between various roles including the midfield and half-forward, before settling into a more permanent role as half-back in his second and third seasons. At the time, he earned praise for his fitness and running ability, but was equally criticised for his disposal accuracy. Houli is a left foot kicker. By the commencement of his seventh AFL season, Houli was ranked statistically among the best players in the league in his position. In 2019, Houli was the only general defender rated by Champion Data in the top category for all of disposals, metres gained and intercept possessions. In 2020, Houli was named by the Herald Sun as Richmond's 13th best player of the AFL era.AFL statistics
Honours and achievements
Team- 2x AFL premiership player : 2017, 2019
- McClelland Trophy : 2018
- All-Australian: 2019
- Fred Swift Medal : 2011
- AFL Rising Star nominee: 2008
- Yiooken Award: 2019
- Richmond Football Club life member
- U18 national champion: 2006
- U16 Victoria Metro captain: 2004
Personal life
In September 2009, Houli married his partner and childhood friend Rouba Abou-Zeid. The pair have two daughters, born 2014 and 2017, as well as a son Mohamed born in 2020.
Community work
Houli has become a community leader and particular inspiration for young Australian Muslims participating in Australian rules football and community sport. He began working to develop an Islamic schools program as an AFL multicultural ambassador in 2012. The same year, Houli successfully approached AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou to ask that the league establish designated prayer rooms at AFL venues to allow members of the Muslim community to attend matches and still adhere to the religious requirement to pray five times a day. Houli established the Bachar Houli Academy in 2012 to provide community engagement and an elite development pathway for young Muslim footballers. Again in 2012, he established the Bachar Houli Cup an intra-school football competition for Islamic schools that culminates in an annual national tournament. The program was nominated for an international Beyond Sport award in 2013. In 2019, Houli established the Bachar Houli Foundation to be based at Richmond's Punt Road Oval, which would provide administration space to continue the various football and leadership programs already established.He was praised for his community engagement work in 2017 by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who said Houli's work with Muslim youth was of "extreme and extraordinary importance." In 2012, Houli received the inaugural Award for Muslim and non-Muslim Understanding, awarded by the Australia Day Council and the University of South Australia's Centre for Muslim and non-Muslim Understanding.