Richmond star Bachar Houli is set to reach the AFL 200-game milestone in Friday night’s blockbuster Round 19 clash with Collingwood at the MCG.
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Houli has played 173 games for the Tigers since joining the Club at the end of 2010 from Essendon, where he’d managed just 26 games in a four-year career.
The dashing defender grabbed the opportunity offered to him by Richmond and he’s been a pivotal member of the Tigers’ line-up throughout the past nine seasons.
His 2017 Grand Final performance against Adelaide was a significant factor in Richmond capturing AFL football’s greatest prize.
Houli finished the premiership-decider with 25 disposals, four rebound-50s, three inside-50s, five tackles, a goal, and was runner-up to brilliant teammate Dustin Martin in the Norm Smith Medal, receiving 10 votes.
Although Bachar Houli is now the oldest player on Richmond’s senior list, he’s showing no signs of slowing down.
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The 31-year-old continues to generate plenty of drive for the Tigers in his rebounding role off the half-back line.
You could, in fact, mount a case that Houli is playing the best football of his AFL career this season.
He is averaging averaging 27.9 disposals, 6.0 marks and 5.0 rebound-50s per game.
And, to underline the important run-and-carry Houli consistently provides Richmond’s team with, he is ranked second in the competition for bounces. He’s also ranked 10th for uncontested possessions per game, 12th for metres gained per game and 19th for disposals per game.
Six times in his 14 games this season, Houli has racked up 30 disposals or more, with an AFL career-high 38 touches against North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium in Round 11.