Keeping the faith on and off the fieldSam McClure
The Age
25 Aug 2019On the Friday of round one, the majority of Richmond and Carlton players would have been waking up battered and bruised after another exciting season-opener at the MCG.
New Tigers recruit Tom Lynch would have been reminiscing about his three-goal debut, while Patrick Cripps made the early running in the Brownlow Medal race.
But Bachar Houli was in tears.
That day, having collected 24 disposals and tearing his hamstring with five minutes left in the game the night before, Houli was landing in New Zealand, to meet with the families who had been affected by the Christchurch massacre, where a gunman killed 51 people a week earlier.
Houli was invited to New Zealand by rugby union star and local sports royalty Sonny Bill Williams, and the two visited and spent time with mothers, fathers, sons and daughters who had lost beloved family members, friends and community members, as well as victims who had survived the horrific ordeal.
"I had tears, but they were actually joyful tears," Houli told the Sunday Age, as he reflected on attending a funeral service in which 27 of those who had died were laid to rest.
"No one wants to see their family members pass away and leave this world but I come from a faith that we believe that we belong to God, and to God we shall return.
"The greatest thing that these families had in their mind is that there is no better way to leave this world than in a state of worship.
"These young men and women were in a state of worship at the mosque at the most blessed time of the week being a Friday.
"They were in the state of prayer … there is no better way to pass away, to be quite honest."
After the service, Houli and Williams went out for ice cream with some survivors and family members who had lost loved ones.
Houli began talking to a young man in his mid 20s. He soon became aware that he had lost his three-year-old brother, who had been praying next to him in one of the mosques attacked.
"According to his brother, this young child would always be dressed by his mum for Friday prayers and be put in specific clothing," Houli explained.
"But that day, he chose a specific gown and he wanted to wear it and it was white. White indicates purity and light, so it's like he knew that he was going."
Before the ice cream was finished, Houli was told another story, of a father and son who had driven to the mosque but had accidentally arrived early.
The father turned the car around and drove back home. Once he and his son got back in the car to return, his car radio relayed the information of the shooting.
"So there you go," Houli said, "his time wasn't up, whereas others, their time is up."
Houli spoke glowingly about the Tigers encouraging him to travel to Christchurch, despite his hamstring injury.
"I raised it to both [AFL chief executive] Gillon [McLachlan] and the club," Houli said.
"They were extremely supportive, they said, 'We are willing to do whatever you want and whatever it takes to support you because this is important'."
It was barely 24 hours before Houli was back home in Melbourne with his wife and two daughters.
He had offered support to victims of one of the most harrowing ordeals in recent global history, and by Sunday he was back at training.
"It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life," Houli said.
Houli's perspective is organic. The devout Muslim and keen fisherman finds solace in his faith and gratitude for the life he's been handed.
It's why you believe Houli when he said he wasn't "overly stressed" that he was yet to be given a contract extension by Richmond, despite his honest frustration.
It was later revealed by The Age that both parties are now working confidently towards a one-year deal to keep Houli at Punt Road in 2020.
If and when Houli signs on with Richmond for 2020, he'll be entering his 14th season at the highest level and he, by his own admission, believes he's playing the best football of his career.
Although never one to fish for compliments, Houli will literally drop a line whenever he can, getting out on his boat at least once a week to mentally unwind.
The luxury of having a decent boat isn't lost on Houli, who grew up fishing off the Altona pier with his older brother, or any area they could sneak into.
"There were no boundaries when it came to fishing, anywhere we could get to we would just fish," he reminisced as he told story after story of he and his brother jumping fences on to private jetties.
"The better fishing spots are the ones that are harder to get into. By the time you get caught by security, there was a bucket full of fish!
"Obviously I can't get away with that sort of stuff any more," Houli smiled.
He certainly can't. Not with 200 AFL games under his belt and a beard that's now got its own following. Even his NAB Mini Legend Jake found it tough to replicate the perfectly maintained facial hair.
On Sunday, it will be the Tigers who will be trying to maintain their winning run against the rampant Brisbane Lions.
Incredibly, the Lions will be going for their 10th win on the trot, while Richmond are one behind and will be aiming to make it nine from their last nine.
But as the 2017 premiers gear up for a charge into September, Houli has sent an ominous warning to the rest of the competition.
"It feels like we still haven't played our top footy, we haven't peaked yet."
"We had a better year last year than 2017, from the perspective of the season as a whole but the reality is, if you're not good enough on that final stage then there's no prizes for second or third best.
"We still viewed the season as a success. It does burn a little bit because we've tasted success and then it got taken away from us. We're hungry for success just like every other team."
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/keeping-the-faith-on-and-off-the-field-20190824-p52kci.html
