Marlion Pickett determined to play against St Kilda this weekend despite charges
Bailed Tiger Marlion Pickett is determined to continue his AFL career despite facing burglary charges, as Richmond ponder a path forward for the two-time premiership Tiger.
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Bailed Richmond premiership player Marlion Pickett is determined to continue his AFL career this weekend against St Kilda as he fights serious burglary charges.
He will fly back to Melbourne on Monday night after being warned by a Perth magistrate he would again face jail time if found guilty of those offences.
The 31-year-old has a committal mention on August 21 — which he can attend by video link — and he must appear at the Reservoir police station every Tuesday as part of his bail conditions.
Richmond will decide a path ahead for Pickett’s football career by Tuesday, with chief executive Brendon Gale likely to front the media to explain the extraordinary chain of events.
Richmond was in regular contact with the AFL across Monday, with the Tigers likely to recommend to Pickett he take the weekend off to concentrate on his wellbeing.
It would give the Tigers and Pickett some breathing space across the bye to ensure Pickett is ready to return to football in round 15.
But the Herald Sun understands Pickett is resolute that he wants to take on St Kilda and continue his AFL career until his court case is resolved.
Pickett and Richmond were aware midweek he would be questioned by WA detectives over the police matter, with Pickett choosing to attend a police station on Sunday.
He still played a key role in the victory over Fremantle then was accompanied by Richmond list boss and senior administrator Blair Hartley to the police station.
He was not bailed on Sunday after being arrested because of a prior jail sentence, but was released after his court case on Monday.
Pickett is halfway through a one-year contract and while he would have been recontracted based on form, there is no guarantee his case will be resolved by the end of October.
Collingwood stood down Jordan De Goey in November 2021 over a New York court case and only reinstated him once that case was resolved.
Justin Quill, partner at major law firm Thomson Geer, told the Herald Sun Pickett deserved to play while his case was unresolved.
“The cornerstone of our judicial system is the presumption of innocence. There is a backstory to this and the glare and scrutiny of the courtroom will bring that story out and will resolve whether he’s guilty or not but we shouldn’t jump to conclusions,” he said.
“People say AFL players are role models but in every other job someone charged with an offence will go to work on Monday and their boss might not know about it.
“Because AFL footballers are in the public eye, some people think they don’t deserve the presumption of innocence and should be sacked. It can’t be like that and if the average person imagined themselves in that position, they might see it a little differently.”
The AFL does not have an official stand-down clause but has the right to assess individual incidents on a case-by-case basis.
North Melbourne’s Tarryn Thomas still faces charges of threatening to distribute an intimate image and will appear at Broadmeadows court on July 18.
But he was not stood down by the AFL or North Melbourne over that court case, with the magistrate in charge of the case indicating in late March Thomas might plead not guilty.
The Roos only stood him down in January when separate allegations emerged about his treatment of women, which are not before the courts.
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