Coaches Damien Hardwick and Don Pyke awarded Tiger Bachar Houli best afield in AFL grand final
DUSTIN Martin was adjudged the Norm Smith Medal winner by the judges, but there were plenty who disagreed. And the two coaches also had a different man on top.
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DUSTIN Martin was adjudged the 2017 Norm Smith Medal winner, but not everyone agreed.
And now the argument another man could easily have received the honour gained an extra boost after the two coaches’ votes from the day.
The AFL Coaches Award votes have revealed that Bachar Houli might well have been stiff not to take home the coveted medal.
Both Damien Hardwick and Don Pyke awarded Houli, who had a blinder for the Tigers spearheading their rebounding attack off half back, the maximum 10 votes.
The pair judged Martin — who had 29 touches (22 contested) and booted 2.2 — next best afield with 8 votes.
On behalf of AFLCA, Gary Ayres Medal final voting: pic.twitter.com/P3EVgtjIWj
— Patrick Keane (@AFL_PKeane) October 2, 2017
Former Tigers coach Terry Wallace had Houli at the top of his Norm Smith voting, with Shane Edwards second and Martin third.
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Houli was superb early, while Martin worked his way into it, but there were plenty of fans on social media who believe the speedster was robbed of the best on ground medal.
Our very own @thelistmanager Norm Smith Medal votes:
— AFL Nation (@AFLNation) September 30, 2017
3: Houli
2: Edwards
1: Martin#AFLGF
Houli received 10 Norm Smith Medal votes, finishing three behind Martin.
He was adjudged best afield by Terry Wallace and second best by three other judges.
“He’s a legend,” Houli said of Martin when asked by the Herald Sun.
“He deserves everything that comes his way and his loyalty was more important.”
houli was robbed #AFLGF
— zoe (@zoejoannou) September 30, 2017
Dusty for norm smith has to be a joke!!! Houli & rance did way more, congrats tigers #AFLGF
— Jayden o'callaghan (@Joc_101) September 30, 2017
He may not have won the Norm Smith Medal, but it was still one of the best of his 170-game career that started at Essendon in 2007 and saw him move to Richmond in 2011.
“It’s special,” Houli said.
“I’m a 29-year-old, so I guess I’m more experienced than a lot of the others.
“So it was up to me to step up and the older guys to step up and I think everyone did their fair share.
“And to be honest I didn’t have much left in the tank, but that’s the aim because there’s no next week, is there?
“Or, actually, there is — we’re celebrating next week now.
“But the great thing is that everyone had their moment during the game and I’m really proud with the way we’ve connected as a team.
“We deserve the premiership.”
Interesting choice for Norm! Houli extremely unlucky, clearly BOG, four of the five judges disagreed! Well done Tiges, enjoy it #AFLGF
— Grant Poulter (@grantpoulter) September 30, 2017
I agree. Though Houli broke the Crows in 1st half. Martin put on some junk time stuff IMO but he’s very flashy. Always gets votes.
— Tim (@skramit) September 30, 2017
Richmond’s barnstorming victory capped an up and down season on a personal front for Houli, who was suspended earlier in the year for striking Carlton’s Jed Lamb.
The controversial set of circumstances that led him to receiving a four-match ban — he successfully had a four-game suspension reduced to two by the tribunal, only for the AFL to appeal that verdict — saw him become the subject of week-long public conjecture.
But Houli said “there’s no better feeling” than to ultimately end his season with such an exclamation point.
Especially given that, since he returned in Round 19, he has averaged 23.6 disposals a game.
“People say, ‘was it a lesson?’ But for me it’s not a lesson,” Houli said.
“It’s something that happened, that I treated really well, had great support around me and I came back and played really consistent footy.
“That’s the main thing.”
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