Writing for the first time, Bachar Houli gives an incredible insight into what it's like to be the AFL's first devout Muslim.
Bachar Houli (Author)
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 (Author)
Waleed Aly is one of Australia's most respected and versatile media
talents. He is a broadcaster, author, academic and musician. Waleed
is co-host of network TEN's The Project, live to air
weeknights.
In 2016 Waleed won the Gold Logie Award for the Most Popular
Australian TV Personality, Silver Logie Award for Best Presenter
and delivered the 2016 Andrew Olle Media Lecture. Waleed picked up
another Silver Logie for Best Presenter in 2017.
Waleed has tackled comedy as both a writer and presenter for SBS's
Salam Cafe, along with hard-hitting news as a host of ABC radio's
Mornings program in Melbourne. He has presented sporting analysis
on ABC News 24's The Drum, and political analysis on Q&A and
BBC World. In 2010 he hosted The Late Session for SBS, a lively
talk show set in a dinner party environment canvassing a wide range
of contemporary topics. Through this as well as regular appearances
on Offsiders, Meet The Press, The 7.30 Report and Enough Rope with
Andrew Denton, Waleed has become widely recognised and trusted by
audiences across Australia.
In 2005, Waleed was made a White Ribbon Day Ambassador for the
United Nations' International Day for the Elimination of Violence
Against Women, and was named one of The Bulletin magazine's 'Smart
100' in 2007. He was invited participant to the Prime Minister's
2020 Summit in 2008 and in 2011 he was named Victoria's Local Hero
in the Australian of the Year Awards for his work in fostering
cross cultural understanding in the community.
When he's not broadcasting or writing, Waleed is probably doing
something musical. Waleed is the guitarist and main songwriter for
Melbourne originals band Robot Child. He played the lead guitar in
the world's first ever theatrical production of Pink Floyd's
classic album, The Wall with Nuworks Theatre in Melbourne, in the
process helping to raise $60,000 to rebuild a girls' school in
Afghanistan that the Taliban had previously destroyed. He also
played guitar on Storm, a song he co-wrote live on air with
Sony-signed Australian artist, Shelley Harland.
Waleed is almost certainly the only terrorism expert in the world
to have written a formal harmonic and structural analysis of
Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. He made his Melbourne International
Comedy Festival debut in 2013 alongside Charlie Pickering in 'The
World's Problems Solved with Charlie Pickering and Waleed Aly'.
Waleed was Radio National's Drive show host from 2012 for three
years, co-hosting The Project on Friday nights during this period.
Currently he presents The Minefield on Radio National with ethicist
Scott Stephens every Wednesday morning.
Waleed is a lecturer in politics at Monash University, working in
their Global Terrorism Research Centre.
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