113 Facts About Bachar Houli

Bachar Houli is a former Australian rules footballer who played 232 games over a 15-year career with Richmond and Essendon in the Australian Football League.

Bachar Houli is a three-time premiership player with Richmond and was named an All-Australian half-back during his 2019 premiership winning season.

Bachar Houli was born in Australia to Lebanese parents who had migrated in the 1970s.

Bachar Houli grew up in the western Melbourne suburbs of Altona North and Tarneit, and attended high school at Werribee Islamic College.

Bachar Houli was raised a devout Muslim, praying five times a day and observing a comprehensive fast during the holy month of Ramadan.

Bachar Houli followed his older brothers into Australian rules football at the age of 11, but hid his participation from his parents, who preferred he focus his efforts on schooling.

In 2004, Bachar Houli was selected play for and captain the Victorian Metropolitan region at the AFL under-16 championships.

In 2006, Bachar Houli suffered repeated stress fractures in his back, but was able to play through, including while serving as Vic Metro vice-captain at the 2006 AFL Under 18 Championships.

Bachar Houli 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.

Bachar Houli's performances helped keep his side undefeated through three matches and earned a premiership win at the tournament.

Bachar Houli first represented Essendon in an exhibition match against the Indigenous All-Stars in Darwin in early February 2007.

Bachar 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.

Bachar 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.

Bachar Houli finished the year having played four AFL matches and averaged 11 disposals and 0.75 goals per game.

Bachar 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 West Coast that saw AFL Media label him among his side's best players.

Bachar 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.

Bachar 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.

Bachar 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.

Bachar Houli held his spot at senior level for a further five weeks, including in round 10 where he recorded a then career-best 31 disposals.

Bachar Houli missed round 12 due to a virus, but was not immediately recalled to AFL football following his recovery.

Bachar 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.

Bachar Houli finished the year having played just seven matches, but again lifting his disposals output to 22.4 per game.

Bachar Houli recovered from his 2009 injury to complete a full pre-season training program ahead of the 2010 season, but he started the year outside the club's AFL 22.

Bachar Houli played just three matches at AFL level before he was again dropped back to reserves level following a round 19 loss to Carlton.

Bachar Houli committed to maintain a strict fast, a decision he would later vowed never to repeat after losing five kilograms over the course of the game and nearly passing out repeatedly during the heavy loss.

Bachar Houli 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.

Bachar 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.

Bachar Houli departed Essendon after four years and 26 AFL games at the club.

Bachar Houli immediately earned AFL selection, making his debut for the club in round 1's season opening match against Carlton.

In round 5, Bachar Houli recorded 30 disposals and was named by AFL Media as one of his side's best players.

Bachar Houli 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 Fremantle and 30 or more disposals in rounds 6,10 and 17.

Bachar Houli was best afield and received the maximum three Brownlow Medal votes following a then career-best 32 disposals in a round 21 win over Sydney.

Bachar Houli began the 2012 season in what AFL Media described as "good touch", averaging 25 disposals across the opening three rounds of the year.

Bachar 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.

Bachar Houli placed equal 10th in the club's best and fairest count.

Bachar Houli 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 Melbourne.

Bachar Houli 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 Adelaide in round 12, before earning another two Brownlow votes for a 25 disposal and one goal performance against Western Bulldogs in round 13.

Bachar 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.

Bachar Houli 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 Carlton.

Bachar Houli finished the year having played 21 matches and placed 10th in the club's best and fairest count.

Bachar 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.

Bachar Houli played his 100th AFL match in a 113-point demolition of Greater Western Sydney in round 10, in which he managed 26 disposals and kicked two goals.

In round 22 Bachar Houli recorded an equal-game high 29 disposals, after which point he ranked 14th in the league for total uncontested possessions that season.

Bachar 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 Port Adelaide.

Bachar Houli was among his side's best players in the loss, with 27 disposals and four marks.

Later that month, Bachar Houli represented Richmond in Grand Final sprint during the game's half-time break.

Bachar 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.

Bachar 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 Bachar Houli while attending the round 5 match between Richmond and Melbourne.

Bachar 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 Geelong.

Bachar Houli 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.

Bachar 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.

Bachar Houli finished the year having played all 23 possible games and ranked second in the league for total rebound-50s.

Bachar Houli earned a top 10 finish in the club best and fairest for the fifth straight season, placing ninth.

Bachar 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.

Bachar Houli led the side with 34 disposals in a round 6 loss to Port Adelaide, but his uneven impacts saw AFL Media label his output "subdued" over the opening seven weeks of the season.

Bachar Houli made his return through the VFL in late-July, in what was his first reserves grade match since joining Richmond from Essendon in 2010.

Bachar Houli 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.

Bachar 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.

Bachar Houli was named among the club's best players the following week in a match against Carlton 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.

Bachar Houli successful argued the penalty from four weeks down to two at the AFL Tribunal with a defence that featured character statements from witnesses including broadcaster Waleed Aly and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Bachar Houli returned to football with 25 disposals and nine score involvements in round 19's win over Gold Coast and played in each of the club's final five home and away season matches.

Bachar Houli contributed 20 disposals in a qualifying win over Geelong 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 Greater Western Sydney.

Bachar Houli was among the best players in the 2017 AFL Grand Final, notching 25 disposals and kicking a goal in a win over Adelaide that earned him a perfect ten coaches votes along with second place in the Norm Smith Medal voting.

Bachar Houli's contribution helped Richmond to its first premiership in 37 years and made Houli a premiership player in his 11th season in the AFL.

Bachar Houli placed equal-eighth in the club's best and fairest count.

Bachar 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 Carlton.

Bachar Houli returned to fitness for round 2's grand final rematch against Adelaide and contributed 17 disposals.

Bachar Houli made a return to football in round 17, but further groin soreness forced him to limit the stint to just one match.

Finally fit, Bachar Houli played at AFL level again in round 21 and earned one coaches vote for a 26-disposal outing against Gold Coast.

Bachar Houli was an honoury captain the following week, joining fellow Muslim player and Essendon opponent Adam Saad to toss the coin in support of the Muslim-Australian community who had been the subject of Islamophobic comments by conservative Senator Fraser Anning in Parliament that week.

Bachar Houli was one of Richmond's few strong contributors in the preliminary final the following week, notching up 22 disposals and a goal in what would prove a shock knockout loss to Collingwood that ended Richmond's season and limited Bachar Houli to just 15 matches at AFL level that year.

Bachar 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 Carlton.

Bachar Houli 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 Sydney.

Bachar 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.

Bachar Houli quickly revised his own career best mark the following week, adding 38 disposals in a loss to North Melbourne that helped him in maintaining a career-best average of 29.3 disposals per game at the mid-season bye.

Bachar 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.

Bachar Houli 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 Geelong and a place in the grand final.

Bachar Houli became a two-time premiership player the following week after Richmond defeated Greater Western Sydney by 89 points in the 2019 AFL Grand Final.

Once again, Bachar Houli placed second behind Dustin Martin for best afield honours, after a fantastic performance that included 26 disposals and seven marks.

Bachar 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.

Bachar Houli sat out Richmond's first pre-season match that same weekend but returned for the club's final pre-season match against Greater Western Sydney a week later.

Bachar Houli 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.

Bachar Houli was best on ground in the coaches eyes during that match, recording eight Coaches Association Award votes for a performance that included a team-high 26 disposals and eight marks.

Bachar Houli continued to contribute strongly through round 5's win over Melbourne, after which point a virus outbreak in Melbourne caused the club to relocate to the Gold Coast.

Bachar Houli was among his side's best players one week later, earning two coaches votes in a win over West Coast for a performance that included 23 disposals, five intercepts and a game-high 526 metres-gained.

Bachar Houli played in each of the final three matches of the regular season, before contributing 17 disposals in a qualifying final loss to the Brisbane Lions in the opening week of the finals.

Bachar Houli was second best on ground in a semi-final win over St Kilda the following week, notching eight rebound-50s and a personal season-best 32 disposals and earning five coaches votes.

Bachar Houli added 15 disposals in a preliminary final win over Port Adelaide, before becoming a three-time premiership player with a 31-point grand final win over Geelong one week later.

Bachar Houli suffered a torn calf muscle early in that match, but recorded 11 disposals while playing on through to the end of play due to a concussion ruling out fellow defender Nick Vlastuin for the entire match.

In round 9, Bachar Houli played his 200th AFL match for Richmond, recording 21 disposals in the win over the Giants.

Bachar Houli received one coaches vote the following week for a 27-disposal performance in a loss to the Brisbane Lions.

Bachar Houli played in each of the club's next five matches, before suffering an ankle injury in the final period of round 16's loss to Gold Coast.

Bachar Houli's retirement concluded a 15-year AFL career which included four years at Essendon and three premierships over 11 years at Richmond.

Bachar Houli played a total of 232 games over that time and was recognised with All-Australian honours on one occasion.

Bachar Houli was a left-foot kicker who played as a rebounding half-back.

Bachar Houli was notable for combining his long kicking power and physical running ability to provide forward momentum and metreage off half-back.

Bachar Houli 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.

In 2019, Bachar Houli was the only general defender rated by Champion Data in the top category for all of disposals, metres gained, and intercept possessions; and, in 2020, Bachar Houli was named by the Herald Sun as Richmond's 13th-best player of the AFL era.

Bachar Houli was the first devout Muslim and third Muslim overall to play in the AFL, following on from Adem Yze and Sedat Sir.

Bachar Houli is only the second player of a Lebanese background to play in the AFL after Mil Hanna did so in the 1980s and 90s.

Bachar Houli sought permission from local religious leaders to break his Ramadan fast on AFL match days and to limit his training load during the holy month.

Bachar Houli observes the fasting requirements associated with Ramadan; during his career, he has made various adjustments, including altering training sessions to accommodate this.

Bachar Houli observes fasting during AFL matches as well, but he will break his fast on occasion by drinking water or sports drinks in-game if he is close to dehydration.

In September 2009, Bachar Houli married his partner and family friend Rouba Abou-Zeid.

In June 2023, Bachar Houli was involved a in a serious crash on a private property in the Snowy Mountains area.

Bachar Houli was initially taken to Albury Hospital with a broken pelvis and shoulder, as well as a punctured lung.

Bachar Houli initially ignored a takedown request from former club Richmond.

However, after AFL intervention, Bachar Houli was convinced to take down the video, and he issued an apology:.

Bachar Houli has become a community leader and particular inspiration for young Australian Muslims participating in Australian rules football and community sport.

Bachar Houli began working to develop an Islamic schools program as an AFL multicultural ambassador in 2012.

Bachar Houli 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, Bachar 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.

In 2021, Bachar Houli received the Anti-Defamation League's Torch of Justice Award for his community work and stand against racism, hate and bullying.