Bachar Houli will reach the 150-game milestone with Richmond in Sunday’s match against Fremantle at the MCG.
Until recently, that would have meant Houli automatically qualified for life membership of the Club.
That honour, however, was bestowed upon Houli and his 21 teammates, who broke the Tigers’ 37-year premiership drought on September 30, 2017, under the Club’s new life membership criteria.
The dashing rebounding defender’s efforts on that ‘one day in September’ last year were a significant factor in Richmond capturing football’s greatest prize.
He finished the Grand Final 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.
That superb display, in the elite football competition’s biggest game of them all, clearly was the pinnacle of Houli’s AFL career, and it underlined his importance to the Tigers since transferring from Essendon at the end of 2010.
Houli had managed to play just 26 senior games in four seasons with the Bombers and was keen to make the move to Richmond for greater opportunity.
At the time, the then 22-year-old expressed his excitement about his arrival at Tigerland . . .
“It feels like the draft day back in ’06 when I first got drafted, to be quite honest. It’s just like starting again,” he said.
“The atmosphere at the Club has been amazing, particularly from the boys themselves . . . they’ve made me feel really welcome, and I definitely feel at home.
“They have respected where I’ve come from, why I’ve come to the Club, and I haven’t looked back.
“Everybody has contributed in making me feel so comfortable here . . .
“It’s going to be awesome playing in front of the passionate Richmond supporters at the MCG.
“Coming from Essendon, I expect it’s going to be fairly similar – you know, two big, traditional, passionate clubs, always pulling the big crowds.
“I’m really looking forward to getting on the Tiger bandwagon.”
Seven and a half years on, Houli can be well satisfied with his change of sash colour from red to yellow.
He’s averaged 22.3 disposals per match in his 149 games with Richmond, has played before huge crowds on numerous occasions, is now the proud recipient of a premiership medal . . . and still has plenty of good football left in him.
