Bachar Houli

A triple Premiership player and All-Australian on-field, the mark Bachar Houli created with his football stretches long beyond the MCG and Punt Road.

Houli's ability to mix the modern defensive traits of cover, rebound and provide attack for his team illustrates his versatility and flexibility.

A Vic Metro Under 16 and 18 representative, Houli was drafted by Essendon in the 2006 NAB AFL Draft at selection 42. Playing in a range of roles with the Bombers, Houli was nominated for the NAB Rising Star after an outstanding game in the opening round of 2008. After four years and 26 games at Essendon, the former Western Jet made the move to Richmond at the end of 2010 in search of greater opportunity.

This was achieved over Houli’s first two years at Punt Road. A top five finish in the Best and Fairest in his first year at the Tigers as a running half-back or wing justified the move. Houli played a remarkable 111 games in his first five years with Richmond. A wrist injury limited Houli to 12 games in 2016, but his talent still shone through with five 30-plus possession games.

2017 was a stand-out year for Houli, playing 21 games across the year and averaging 23 disposals per game. He was an integral part in Richmond’s 2017 premiership success and was recognised as one of the best performers of the Grand Final. After an injury interrupted 2018, Houli produced a career best season in 2019, earning his first All-Australian blazer en route to a second Premiership medal. He was second in Norm Smith Medal voting to Dustin Martin – a winning formula for the Tigers as it was in 2017. The coronavirus pandemic brought unprecedented disruption to the 2020 season, but with relocation to Richmond's Gold Coast hub, Bachar made a solid contribution to the campaign, helping to cement The Tigers's legacy as one of the greatest sides of the modern era as he picked up his third Premiership medal, as well as a Jim Stynes Award.

Bachar Houli is as accomplished an AFL footballer as they come, playing 232 games over fifteen seasons and a key role in three Richmond Premiership sides before retiring from football in 2021. Off the field, Bachar was the AFL’s first devout Muslim and helped bring to life a number of initiatives that have generated great community impact in a short time. The Bachar Houli Foundation aims to continue the legacy Bachar and The Tigers have established, nurturing young Islamic footballers aspiring to follow in his footsteps as a footballer and person. Bachar’s love of the outdoors has been brought to life as an ambassador for the Victorian Fisheries Authority, promoting and teaching fishing right across the state.

Waleed Aly is a writer, academic, lawyer and broadcaster. He is a lecturer in politics at Monash University and co-host of Network Ten's The Project. He is the author of People Like Us and Quarterly Essay 37, What's Right?.