Delisted #43: Bachar Houli

Remove this Banner Ad

Would he get a game today - No - But he wasn't playing regular senior footy before he left for greener pastures at RFC.

His defensive capabilities are under-rated - He is a very competent defender and an effective rebounder - Being a good rebounder has helped the defensive side of his game, as he sometimes has defensive forwards playing on him.
 
not a chance. He's been gone a few years now and still has the same issues. He is soft and is a front runner. Can see when richmond plays ok he plays ok. When they dont he doesnt
 
He gets a lot of hate on this board for some reason. I understand that he really needs to work on the defensive side of his game, but no one can deny that he has an elite engine and a great kick. Although, he's still prone to the odd brain fade. I remember how much his loopy handballs used to drive me nuts. Looks like he's also solved that problem. Has also been going forward and kicking a couple of games.
Will no doubt go top 5 if not top 3 in Richmond's B&F.

Despite that, he'd probably be competing with Pears/Baguely/Hibberd/Dempsey.

I have always been of the opinion that he'd be better off playing higher up the ground. Like that, he's defensive worries would not really be a factor and he would be a good asset up forward due to his good finishing skills.
 

Log in to remove this ad.

Defender? I though he was a midfielder...
As it turns out, he hasn't played every game, he was a late withdrawal from their loss.
 
i think he might have. i have still seen him make some catastrophic errors when under pressure though. i think in our defence now, he might. perhaps either he, or Dempsey, would be pushed into the midfield, as you wouldn't have Hibberd, Dempsey and Houli in the same backline.
 
I've never understood why so many on this board don't have any time for Houli. He's been excellent for Richmond, so good on him. And to say he definitely wouldn't be getting a game with us is stupid - in the past two seasons he'd have had plenty of chances in defence or midfield. If you dropped him into our squad right now, he might not get a game, but that's largely because we're better than the Tigers - it's very easy to say that Player A from Good Team is better than Player B from Not-As-Good Team (especially when you support Good Team).
 
He is still much the same player as he was at Essendon. He still struggles with the defensive side of his game enough to suggest that he would be a depth player.
 
Houli probably would be, but we wouldn't have discovered Hibberd, is my theory and in saying that we probably would be a couple of wins less at the moment than we are now.
 
BrunoV said:
He is still much the same player as he was at Essendon. He still struggles with the defensive side of his game enough to suggest that he would be a depth player.
Click to expand...

If he's "much the same player" now as he was with us, then we seriously missed a trick. Whatever you think of him, he's a hugely important element in a team that should play finals this year and (rightly or wrongly) will expect to push the top four in 2014. They didn't half miss him on the weekend, either.
 
He has not improved all that much defensively which is going to be his biggest problem getting a game in the current set up. As it stands Houli if he was to magically be listed as an Essendon player again would not be displacing any best 22 midfielder or defender.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Well if he was here we wouldn't have the All-Australian back flanker.
Also, I found some nice defensive work he did while he was here:
 
BrunoV said:
He has not improved all that much defensively which is going to be his biggest problem getting a game in the current set up. As it stands Houli if he was to magically be listed as an Essendon player again would not be displacing any best 22 midfielder or defender.
Click to expand...
And I said as much in my first post - you don't muck about with a winning formula. If I had every back flanker in the league at my disposal, I'd be tempted to stick with Dempsey and Hibberd because they are a very good partnership in an excellent defence and we're winning games.

In midfield there'd be a case for playing him ahead of Myers or Howlett if you wanted more outside run, or until recently Melksham if you wanted someone good at football.
 
JDavey said:
Seeing as Dempsey has missed 4 games this year so far and Hibberd missed 10(?) last season I don't see how he wouldn't have gotten games.
Click to expand...


When your papers are stamped you dont get games.
 
bomberswarm2 said:
Well stupid Knights let him go to Richmond, where he has played every single game since he joined. Would he still get a spot in our best 22?
Click to expand...

This short of rubbish shits me, he left after Hird was appointed coach and he left simply because we offered 2 years and Richmond offered 3 on more money.

As for the question, would more than likely be fringe playing if Hibberd or Dempsey where injured. Has done well for the Tigers and good luck to him but i would rather have Pig and Dempsey as my attacking half backs with Goddard playing loose.

Still don't rate his defense. Does leak a few goals if you watch who he plays on at various stages closely.
Defends ok one on one but is often not in a position to defend one on one.
No doubt his rebound and run is an attacking weapon and first rate.
 
yaco55 said:
Delusional thinking in this thread.

Houli is a very competent defender - He wouldn't get games if he couldn't defend - And he is sometimes tagged by defensive forwards.
Click to expand...

Is he ?
You must have a decent wide angle TV!
Yes he can defend when he is actually on someone but clubs know how to exploit him by running various players through his position as he still lets his attacking side take over.
 
Doss said:
Pretty much the crux of it.

Houli's improved a lot since he left us, and all power to him- I don't bare him active ill will, even if I have disliked a couple things he's said since he left.

But if he's against Dempsey and Hibberd- he loses, they're both better than him.
Click to expand...
Hibberd yes, Dempsey probs not.

Good on him for getting to 100, though we need to upgrade him. Off-field an incredible character
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Remove this Banner Ad

Back
Top