The inclusion of running Richmond backman Bachar Houli on a list of elite players of the competition, compiled by the AFL’s official statistics provider Champion Data, may have surprised some in the football world – but not his coach Damien Hardwick.

Houli was one of six Tiger players named in the elite bracket (Trent Cotchin, Brett Deledio, Ivan Maric, Jack Riewoldt and Shane Tuck were the others), following his second season at the Club in 2012, which saw him again produce effective football across half-back.

The Roar is Back in 2013.  Become a Richmond member today.

Hardwick believes Houli, who was starved of opportunities in a four-year career at Essendon, is elite for the position he now plays in at Tigerland.

“As a half-back flanker, he is elite at what he does,” Hardwick said.

“He wins the ball back well, he uses it effectively by hand and foot, and he plays the role that we want in the side to an elite level.”

Hardwick, however, was disappointed with certain aspects of the Champion Data player-list ratings.

“I see where they’re coming from, with regards to elite half-back flankers, elite forwards.  What I wasn’t overly happy with, was the below average and the poor ratings.  I find that really derogatory to the players,” he said.

“At the end of the day, to make it to this level, you’ve got to be an elite player, one way or the other.”