Bachar Houli, Shaun Burgoyne and Eddie Betts shaped football for the better

Premiership stars Shaun Burgoyne and Bachar Houli have joined Eddie Betts among the players whose AFL careers are coming to an end.

Richmond’s Bachar Houli, who has announced his retired, has changed the game

Among the marks of a champion are the abilities to deliver in a crisis and to shine light on others to allow them to blossom.

In Bachar Houli, Shaun Burgoyne and Eddie Betts, who are among those to announce their retirements from the AFL this week, footy is celebrating the deeds of exceptional leaders while lamenting their exit.

The trio have shaped football for the better and set an example for others to aspire to. They played with brilliance and bravery. And their best might still be to come, so strong are their reputations.

It is now 13 months since Houli, in the midst of a personal crisis with his mother Yamama desperately ill, urged members of Melbourne’s Muslim community to get tested for Covid-19.

The words of the dashing defender, who starred in Richmond’s 2017 and 2019 premierships and then courageously played on in last year’s decider when injured, carry great weight with reason.

The first devout Muslim and second player of Lebanese background to play in the VFL/AFL, Houli distinguished himself with Essendon and then Richmond with his creativity from defence.

Had a Norm Smith Medal fallen his way instead of Dustin Martin’s in 2017 and 2019, it would not have surprised, so outstanding were his performances against Adelaide and the Giants.

With Richmond down a man and under siege against Geelong last October at the Gabba, Houli injured a calf muscle. He bluffed his way through the pain and pressure. In a tighter grand final, this was pivotal.

The 33-year-old, who played 232 games over 15 seasons, was a teacher to younger Tigers.

Marlion Pickett benefited from his inclusiveness when arriving at Punt Road.

Daniel Rioli is a three-time premiership Tiger, but should blossom further when he steps into Houli’s role on the half-back flank from 2022 onward.

An interview with Houli is always enlightening. His enthusiasm about football, and the opportunities it opened for him and offered to his community, is boundless. He stresses the importance of his faith to his performance.

A winner of the Jim Stynes Community Award, Houli’s influence in the corridors of power is more important. At his behest, the AFL installed prayer rooms for Muslims at grounds.

It is a step that made footy more inclusive as members of the community could attend matches while still adhering to their religious beliefs.

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull is among those to laud the impact of the Bachar Houli Foundation.

“I hope I have left a sense of peace in everyone’s heart,” Houli said.

Houli will not play against Hawthorn on Saturday in a match where the exceptional career of Burgoyne ends.

The Hawk is the first Indigenous footballer to play 400 AFL games and was widely celebrated when he reached that landmark in July.

The 38-year-old is even more fortunate than Houli from a football perspective given he played in four premierships.

A performer of pure “silk” on the football field, the 38-year-old set a tone more through his actions than his words, though when he did speak, he was insightful and full of good humour.

Burgoyne could play anywhere, a valuable asset for any coach to deploy. He could weave through packs or bruise bodies. His goals on the run were as much a feature as his ability to direct traffic in the middle.

He played with more abandon at Port Adelaide and then with greater sacrifice at Hawthorn as the club proved a dominant force last decade with premierships from 2013 to 2015.

Indigenous leader Pauly Vandenbergh told The Australian Burgoyne’s deeds put him on “Mt Rushmore” as the first Aboriginal person to reach 400 games.

His wife Amy Burgoyne, the daughter of Greg Phillips and a sister to Erin Phillips, said she hoped he realised the example he had set for Indigenous kids across Australia.

“To see him … do so successfully over such a long period of time, I hope that young kids can see that and think it is possible for them to come to a big city like Melbourne and do well,” she said.

Then there is the great Eddie Betts, who hails from the same region as Burgoyne, the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia.

He does not have the premiership medallions of his peers. But, similarly to Houli and Burgoyne, the admiration for Betts crosses club lines that sometimes blind rival fans.

The highlights reel that Betts, a true prince of forward pockets, leaves behind will be something to celebrate for decades to come, just as he has been transfixing to watch in real time.

The 34-year-old, who played 350 games, spoke evocatively about the scourge of racism again this week.

Similarly to Burgoyne and Houli, Betts is an all Australian. And they all remained leaders to the end, players to celebrate watching and listening to.