Will all depend on how keen he is to play senior football next year. These decisions will tell us a lot about who are real Richmond people through and through. Dave just showed us. If Bachar gets selfish and is adamant he can play senior football next year and moves on then that tarnishes a lot of his good work. Surely he realises he is past being a 22 game contributor at the club. Wait and see
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Bachar Houli - بشار حولي,
- Thread starter Baloo
- Start date
Don't think he sees it that way. IMO I suspect it is business as usual when available he is best 18. Sadly those days have passed him by
Love what Houli has brought to the club on so many fronts but reckon he should do a Dave Astbury and retire from AFL whilst still at the top of his game. Would hate to see him go so, as others have said, keep him on the books to lead / mentor our VFL guy's
Been amazing but yeah has gone one year too many .. would be great if he stayed on the VFL list to help the kids but hoping he doesn't play on the senior list ( taking a position and salary cap space for a young player ) .. couldn't see another club taking him either ( maybe North or the Suns )
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Question for advocates of pushing Houli because of the “staggered retirements” theory.
Why should this well-balanced Richmond list stagger retirements when we have a nice, balanced spread of ages?
The retirements will happen naturally at different times anyway, and they won’t cause us to fall off a cliff because our list isn’t heavily skewed.
E.g. Edwards is 33, Astbury is 30, but Astbury wants to retire while Shane goes in for surgery to keep playing.
And Bachar has an unwavering belief and motivation to continue.
Age forecasting is hard. It’s also hard not to be biased in favour of Houli, of course.
Why should this well-balanced Richmond list stagger retirements when we have a nice, balanced spread of ages?
The retirements will happen naturally at different times anyway, and they won’t cause us to fall off a cliff because our list isn’t heavily skewed.
E.g. Edwards is 33, Astbury is 30, but Astbury wants to retire while Shane goes in for surgery to keep playing.
And Bachar has an unwavering belief and motivation to continue.
Age forecasting is hard. It’s also hard not to be biased in favour of Houli, of course.
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I remember posting after a game he played earlier this year that his kicking had no power. I can’t remember which game it was but he was struggling to kick more than 40 metres.
i recall thinking at the time that it looked like Bachar was done
Interesting that the club site lists Houli's current injury as ankle. Not calf or achilles. Ankle isn't a geriatric injury.
And the injury that kept him out previously was a syndesmosis, a contact injury. Houli would be right to think he could recover from this one.
I think that Bachar might be under pressure to retire because we are ready to move on to our next generation of Stack and Rioli. Just as Astbury can retire because we're ready to play Balta at full back.
I hope he gets his body right and plays on next year but it looks like RFC is moving to phase him out.
Edwards has had a worse year but has always been a genius at a cameo. Even the past fortnight when he has been unmercifully flogged he has kicked three. We only need Edwards to be able to contribute to defensive formations (he can't atm) and he can find a role. And, of course, Edwards is the one and only Dimma lovechild. Watch where Edwards stands at defensive formations over the past month. Dimma wouldn't let Martin do that.
Bachar can play a cameo too. But with two 33yos, both regularly injured in 2021, one was likely to be phased out. We have replacements ready for Houli's role.
Bachar played some very good football earlier this year including a blinder and is a *smile* champion footballer. Match payments. Should be retained. Let him play cameos.
And the injury that kept him out previously was a syndesmosis, a contact injury. Houli would be right to think he could recover from this one.
I think that Bachar might be under pressure to retire because we are ready to move on to our next generation of Stack and Rioli. Just as Astbury can retire because we're ready to play Balta at full back.
I hope he gets his body right and plays on next year but it looks like RFC is moving to phase him out.
Edwards has had a worse year but has always been a genius at a cameo. Even the past fortnight when he has been unmercifully flogged he has kicked three. We only need Edwards to be able to contribute to defensive formations (he can't atm) and he can find a role. And, of course, Edwards is the one and only Dimma lovechild. Watch where Edwards stands at defensive formations over the past month. Dimma wouldn't let Martin do that.
Bachar can play a cameo too. But with two 33yos, both regularly injured in 2021, one was likely to be phased out. We have replacements ready for Houli's role.
Bachar played some very good football earlier this year including a blinder and is a *smile* champion footballer. Match payments. Should be retained. Let him play cameos.
when houli injured his ankle in the disaster game against gold coast he was one of our better players and was running hard when everyone else stood still. His injury was an impact injury and not an ageing soft tissue injury. he was actually playing good footy before he landed awkwardly and twisted his ankle.
That was right in front of me and didn't look good at all.
His body does seem to be letting him down, and I am on the side of retirement, but if he stays and his body holds up there is no doubt he will be important - he is a champion.
DS
For me Stacks next move is into the midfield. Only thing holding him back is fitness.
Announcement coming today.
Thanks for everything Bachar.
You’re a legend of the Richmond Football Club
Thanks for everything Bachar.
You’re a legend of the Richmond Football Club
If that's right I think it's the correct call. Once you're over 30 and the calves and other leg muscles keep pinging it's tough to get back.
Agree on your sentiment as well.
Absolutely. And the best two are Stack and Shorty with Nigel as a backup. So why mess around with a triple premiership creative forward when we have no other? If Daniel is getting his mojo back he needs to be around the goals. He has been getting possessions on the back flank but is too easily outmarked .
