Bachar Houli [merged]

[one-eyed]

Richmond CEO Brendon Gale is confident Bachr Houli will be a Tiger again in 2021.

The two-time premiership defender, who is without a contract for next season, was recently linked with a possible return to former club Essendon.

However, Gale expects that the 32-year-old will remain in the yellow and black on another one-year deal.

Houli has contributed greatly to the Muslim community through his work with his foundation which has been made possible by the Tigers and the club’s chief is confident that will continue.

“The last few years Bachar has had a series of one-year contracts,” he said on SEN’s Whateley.

“We think it works for him, he’s almost in career-best form. He’s a wonderful finals performer.

“I’d be very surprised, I’d be extremely surprised if Bachar wasn’t playing with us next year.

“He’s got a strong position in our team now, he’s got a strong future at our club. We established the Bachar Houli Foundation which will be located at Punt Road.

“His contribution to our club now and his legacy after is something we need to protect.”

All-Australian half-back Houli has played 192 games for Richmond since joining from the Bombers in 2010, and has tallied 218 total.

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2020/10/13/richmond-chief-comments-on-bachar-houlis-future/

[one-eyed]

"Put it in ink. Houli will be staying at Richmond for one more year."

Source: Sam McClure on Footy Classified.

[yandb]

Most of his performances this year justify offering him another season.

[Owl]

Bachar is awesome, hope he keeps going.

[one-eyed]

Bachar Houli

As Tony Shaw noted on radio at half-time, Houli had enough of the ball but looked nervous with it and wasn’t able to penetrate with his usual effectiveness as a result. Oddly quiet when the game was on the line in the final term.

Rating: 4

Source: Foxsports

[WilliamPowell]

Bachar Houli

As Tony Shaw noted on radio at half-time, Houli had enough of the ball but looked nervous with it and wasn’t able to penetrate with his usual effectiveness as a result. Oddly quiet when the game was on the line in the final term.

Rating: 4

Source: Foxsports

Bookmark this, I'm agreeing with T Shaw 

Think I need a shower

Seriously, though Bachar had a poor night

[The Machine]

Tight contested games are not suited and it is clearly evident. Needs to shoulder up and put his body in the contest a little more for mine.

[one-eyed]

One hell of a journey to AFL GF: Houli

Rob Forsaith
AAP
18 October 2020

Bachar Houli has labelled Richmond's qualifying-final loss a "gift", admitting there were moments in 2020 when he doubted whether he would contest yet another grand final.

Every AFL player has made sacrifices of some description to ensure the show went on amid a COVID-19 outbreak that brought Melbourne to a halt.

Few have ridden the highs and low as much as Houli, who waited until June 11 to play his first game of the year because a calf injury preceded the competition-wide stoppage.

The 32-year-old stayed home when the Tigers relocated to a Queensland hub in July, welcoming his third child then revealing his mother was in intensive care after contracting coronavirus.

Houli returned in round 13 and hasn't looked back since, playing every game as Richmond advanced to their third grand final in four consecutive years.

"It's been such a different journey," the rebounding defender told AAP as he soaked up a dramatic preliminary-final win over Port Adelaide.

"It's been one hell of a journey ... something we'll remember for the rest of our lives. Regardless of whether we win or lose next week, it's definitely been a very proud moment for our football club.

"There was the first COVID stop, then the birth of my child forced me to stay back. I'm so grateful I was able to travel to Queensland with my family.

"To be quite honest, yes (there were doubts about reaching the grand final) at times ... but it felt like if we got into a top-four position then anything can happen."

The Tigers slipped to ninth on the ladder eight rounds, while they were in sixth spot after 12 rounds of the condensed season.

Houli's team, having banked qualifying-final wins in 2017, 2018 and 2019, suffered an upset loss to Brisbane in week one of this year's finals series.

The veteran suggested taking the hard road to this year's premiership decider had proved beneficial.

"We've bounced back really well from adversity or losses. We know where we go wrong in certain games and feel like they're small fixes," Houli said.

"Sometimes you need that little hiccup. You treat it as a gift, because it gets you to reset and focus on the job for longer.

"The loss we had to Brisbane was a gift in a way."

https://7news.com.au/sport/afl/one-hell-of-a-journey-to-afl-gf-houli-c-1407350

[georgies31]

I wouldn't back against him for a big game in GF.Just needs to be cleaner at times.

[one-eyed]

Houli still uncotracted. Uncertainty of list sizes holding up the decision on his future. Bachar said he wants to play on as his body still feels good but he understands Saturday could be his last game.

source: 3aw news.

[one-eyed]

Sorry, Bombers: The real reason why Houli will stay a Tiger after 'surprise' interest

Richmond veteran Bachar Houli is waiting for a contract offer from the Tigers

By Callum Twomey
afl.com.au
21 October 2020

RICHMOND'S two-time premiership star Bachar Houli admits he was surprised by Essendon's interest in luring him back to the Bombers.

But the gun defender said he was keen to remain in the yellow and black despite his wait for a contract offer from the club.

Houli, who is shooting for his third flag victory in Saturday night's Grand Final against Geelong, remains out of contract at the end of this season.

AFL.com.au revealed in September he had drawn the interest of the Bombers, where he left at the end of 2010 after 26 games in four seasons.

He has since become a Tigers great, finishing second in the Norm Smith Medal in 2017 and 2019, and the important left footer said the Bombers' pursuit came as a shock.

"It was a surprise being 32 years old and why would a club want to reinvest in a player who was there many years ago? But I don't know how far that went to be quite honest," he told AFL.com.au.

"I didn't really dwell or dive too much into that. I think that's on the side now."

The Tigers have held off recontracting a number of their players as they sought clarity on list sizes and the salary cap for 2021, but have recently sewn up deals for ruckman Toby Nankervis and midfielders Jack Graham and Riley Collier-Dawkins.

Houli said he wanted to stay at Richmond, where he has strong links with his off-field work in the community with the Bachar Houli Foundation.

"As long as there's a contract there, an offer, I won't be going anywhere else to be quite honest," he said.

"I've got something far greater than just a playing contract at the football club and that's the foundation and the work we've done together with Richmond Football Club and the AFL to establish the foundation.

"Hopefully there's a contract post-Grand Final, maybe before Grand Final, but it's been a funny year. I'm going to wait patiently and hopefully there's an offer there in the short-term."

Houli has had an interrupted season with the Tigers, missing eight weeks in the middle of the season as he stayed in Melbourne to be with family and joining Richmond's Gold Coast hub in the middle of August.

But the 219-gamer's form has been excellent since his return to the Tigers' defence and Houli was one of the Tigers' best in their semi-final win over St Kilda with 32 disposals.

He said the prize of becoming a three-time premiership player hadn't taken his mind off the task of overcoming Geelong at the Gabba.

"Honestly I haven't really thought about it as such. Maybe because the build up is not there and there hasn’t been the huge hype but at the end of the day if you're thinking about that you're thinking about outcome and that's not what we do," he said.

"We think about the process and what it takes to give ourselves the best possible chance to be victorious on the night."

https://www.afl.com.au/news/520404/sorry-bombers-the-real-reason-why-houli-will-stay-a-tiger-after-surprise-interest

[one-eyed]

Bachar Houli has dealt with more than most in 2020. He welcomed a new baby, helped his mum through COVID-19 and fought back from his own injury. But none of that has been enough to dent his desire to play on next year.

@TomBrowne7 #7AFL #7NEWS

https://twitter.com/7NewsMelbourne/status/1318823341248053248

[one-eyed]

Bachar Houli – 5
On the surface, Houli struggled to get his usual drive off half-back, but he revealed only after the siren he had torn his calf in the same passage of play that saw Nick Vlastuin knocked out. Class still shone through on occasion with a few deft touches.

Source: AFL website

Bachar Houli
Started on Danger at the first bounce, but the two-time Norm Smith runner-up was very well contained by Geelong with Houli unable to influence unlike previous Grand Finals.

Rating: 5

Source: Foxsports

[Andyy]

Had no idea he had torn his calf.

Wasn't carrying on like Ablett was. Just pure stoicism.

Will he go on or call it a day? Getting a few soft tissues these days and with Markov missing out you have to wonder if it's time?

[skiddymcghee]

I wondered why his stats were low....What an absolute gun!