giantroo
10 May 2007, 07:41
AFL's first devout Muslim to face Roos
10 May 2007 Herald-Sun
Mark Robinson
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/files/bombers.jpgBACHAR Houli, the first devout Muslim to play in the AFL, will make his debut against the Kangaroos tomorrow night.
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,1658,5477660,00.jpg Pray and play: devout Muslim Bachar Houli will pray in a private room at Telstra Dome before making his AFL debut for Essendon against the Kangaroos tomorrow night. Picture: George Salpigtidis
Houli, 18, was told of his selection on Tuesday -- in front of his teammates -- by Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy.
"I had tingles, had heaps of them, from the time Sheeds said it to just now when we had another meeting, it's really kicked in," he said yesterday.
Houli told his brother first, who then told his immediate family -- Houli has five brothers and two sisters -- who then told his "40 or 50" cousins.
Now they are embarking on a desperate scramble for tickets so that 200 "Bachar Barrackers" can sit together at Telstra Dome.
Houli still hasn't sat down with his parents and told them first-hand.
"I rang up Dad and his got his phone (message bank), so I rang up Mum at home and she didn't answer the phone, so, yeah, a great way to spread the information when they don't answer the phone," he said.
"Apparently my dad's reaction was amazing.
"He was working at the fish and chip shop (in Werribee) and he was basically serving five customers at once, that's how excited he was."
While one door opens at Windy Hill, a couple might be closing on veterans.
Mark Johnson has been told he is axed for this week while Mark Bolton and Chris Heffernan will come under scrutiny, as will young ruck Jason Laycock.
Forward Courtney Johns was heavily concussed at training last night and will be assessed.
David Hille and Richard Cole will join Houli in the team.
As Johnson, Heffernan and Bolton consider their immediate futures, Houli is a pioneer for the Muslim community, although he says he feels no pressure.
"It's more of a celebration," Houli said.
"That's the opportunity I'm looking forward to taking, but obviously I feel no pressure from the community or from my family.
"I'm just going to go out there and do what I do best and that's play footy."
His father and mother -- Malek and Yamana -- will go to the game, although a weekend excursion to the footy is rare for Yamana.
They migrated from Lebanon to Melbourne about 30 years ago, and weren't even aware their son, when 12, had began playing at Spotswood.
"I haven't spoken to Mum yet, but she's going to come and watch," Houli said.
"Dad goes to matches and training, but Mum stays home a bit, but I've got to open her up a bit.
"She's basically said she doesn't feel too comfortable, but I've told her, this is Australia, it's multi-cultural and you've got to be very proud and show your support.
"Everyone's going to come.
"My cousins have brought 20 or 30 tickets to provide for everyone else so they can sit down together. There's going to be heaps of them. They will be proud."
Houli prays five times a day. Tomorrow night, his final prayer -- for five minutes -- will be completed at Telstra Dome in a private room, near the changerooms.
"From the time the game starts to the game needs, there won't be any prayer in between," Houli said.
Sheedy described Houli's elevation as "terrific for footy".
"The one good thing about this game is that it's brought together a lot of people who have come to Australia," Sheedy said.
"It's built a multi-cultural openness in a sense, by the parents who had the courage to come and live in Australia."
Not overly educated on Muslim beliefs and attitudes, just as he wasn't in the late 1980s on indigenous matters, Sheedy said everyone had to "go and learn and find out".
Houli was selected with pick 42 in last year's national draft. He has played all five VFL games this year for the Bendigo Bombers, mainly as a half-forward/onballer.
Three times he has topped 30 possessions.
Sheedy is amazed by his attitude.
"His attitude is as good as most of the better players I've seen at the club, and I go back to Shane Heard and Neil Clarke, not necessarily the great players but the ones I respected for having great attitudes -- Terry Daniher, loved the game, passionate about the game," the coach said.
10 May 2007 Herald-Sun
Mark Robinson
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/files/bombers.jpgBACHAR Houli, the first devout Muslim to play in the AFL, will make his debut against the Kangaroos tomorrow night.
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,1658,5477660,00.jpg Pray and play: devout Muslim Bachar Houli will pray in a private room at Telstra Dome before making his AFL debut for Essendon against the Kangaroos tomorrow night. Picture: George Salpigtidis
Houli, 18, was told of his selection on Tuesday -- in front of his teammates -- by Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy.
"I had tingles, had heaps of them, from the time Sheeds said it to just now when we had another meeting, it's really kicked in," he said yesterday.
Houli told his brother first, who then told his immediate family -- Houli has five brothers and two sisters -- who then told his "40 or 50" cousins.
Now they are embarking on a desperate scramble for tickets so that 200 "Bachar Barrackers" can sit together at Telstra Dome.
Houli still hasn't sat down with his parents and told them first-hand.
"I rang up Dad and his got his phone (message bank), so I rang up Mum at home and she didn't answer the phone, so, yeah, a great way to spread the information when they don't answer the phone," he said.
"Apparently my dad's reaction was amazing.
"He was working at the fish and chip shop (in Werribee) and he was basically serving five customers at once, that's how excited he was."
While one door opens at Windy Hill, a couple might be closing on veterans.
Mark Johnson has been told he is axed for this week while Mark Bolton and Chris Heffernan will come under scrutiny, as will young ruck Jason Laycock.
Forward Courtney Johns was heavily concussed at training last night and will be assessed.
David Hille and Richard Cole will join Houli in the team.
As Johnson, Heffernan and Bolton consider their immediate futures, Houli is a pioneer for the Muslim community, although he says he feels no pressure.
"It's more of a celebration," Houli said.
"That's the opportunity I'm looking forward to taking, but obviously I feel no pressure from the community or from my family.
"I'm just going to go out there and do what I do best and that's play footy."
His father and mother -- Malek and Yamana -- will go to the game, although a weekend excursion to the footy is rare for Yamana.
They migrated from Lebanon to Melbourne about 30 years ago, and weren't even aware their son, when 12, had began playing at Spotswood.
"I haven't spoken to Mum yet, but she's going to come and watch," Houli said.
"Dad goes to matches and training, but Mum stays home a bit, but I've got to open her up a bit.
"She's basically said she doesn't feel too comfortable, but I've told her, this is Australia, it's multi-cultural and you've got to be very proud and show your support.
"Everyone's going to come.
"My cousins have brought 20 or 30 tickets to provide for everyone else so they can sit down together. There's going to be heaps of them. They will be proud."
Houli prays five times a day. Tomorrow night, his final prayer -- for five minutes -- will be completed at Telstra Dome in a private room, near the changerooms.
"From the time the game starts to the game needs, there won't be any prayer in between," Houli said.
Sheedy described Houli's elevation as "terrific for footy".
"The one good thing about this game is that it's brought together a lot of people who have come to Australia," Sheedy said.
"It's built a multi-cultural openness in a sense, by the parents who had the courage to come and live in Australia."
Not overly educated on Muslim beliefs and attitudes, just as he wasn't in the late 1980s on indigenous matters, Sheedy said everyone had to "go and learn and find out".
Houli was selected with pick 42 in last year's national draft. He has played all five VFL games this year for the Bendigo Bombers, mainly as a half-forward/onballer.
Three times he has topped 30 possessions.
Sheedy is amazed by his attitude.
"His attitude is as good as most of the better players I've seen at the club, and I go back to Shane Heard and Neil Clarke, not necessarily the great players but the ones I respected for having great attitudes -- Terry Daniher, loved the game, passionate about the game," the coach said.