Marlion Pickett, from Manjimup Tiger to a grand final debut

He spent his teens in prison ... but tomorrow, Marlion Pickett’s first AFL game will be in a grand final.

Richmond midfielder, Marlion Pickett will make his AFL debut for the Club on Saturday, the 2019 AFL Grand Final. Picture: Tony Gough

As Marlion Pickett wasted away his late-teenage years in Wooro­loo prison on Perth’s eastern fringe, it was football that gave him hope.

The 27-year-old, who will make his AFL debut for Richmond in the most remarkable of circumstances in Saturday’s grand final against the Giants, is making the most of his second chance in life.

Having cut his football teeth in Western Australia’s country leagues before being plucked from the WAFL in June in the first mid-season draft held in 26 years, Pickett will be the first player since Collingwood’s Keith Batchelor in 1952 to make his ­senior debut in a VFL/AFL grand final.

Debut in VFL / AFL Grand Final...

1908 - Harry Prout (ESS)
1920 - Bill James (RICH)
1923 - George Rawle (ESS)
1926 - Frank Vine (MELB)
1952 - Keith Batchelor (COLL)
2019 - Marlion Pickett (RICH)???#AFLGF

— Joshua Kay (@js_kay) September 26, 2019

After impressing as a youngster in the bush footy competitions in Manjimup and York, Pickett had just been invited to play in the colts with the South Fremantle Bulldogs in 2010 when the law caught up with him. He was jailed for more than two years for a string of offences including burglary.

Pickett was already the father of Marlion Jr at the time, and his son Latrell was on the way when he was sentenced. He has since had two more children.

Marlion Pickett (3rd from L, back row) with his U15s Manjimup Tigers team circa 2008/2009.

Being able to play football with the Wooroloo prison team helped him maintain his focus. He kept in contact with the Bulldogs while starring with the prison side, not surprisingly winning a best-and-fairest award in the competition.

He was back kicking a football with South Fremantle reserves within days of his release in 2013 and his class as a player soon ­became apparent.

Speaking after his selection on Thursday, Pickett said he was still pinching himself that he would be centre stage at the MCG on Saturday. “The emotions are a bit of everything,” he said.

Marlion Pickett with his coach Brett Chatley during his time at the U15s Manjimup Tigers team.

“When I was told, I didn’t believe it. I still don’t believe it.”

Pickett’s parents will travel from Perth for the grand final, even though that means his father must face his fear of flying.

Family means just about everything to Pickett.

“It’s a big achievement, not just for me but for my family as well,” he said.

“My family’s been on the journey as well, through tough and thin.”

Justin Leppitsch, a three-time premiership defender and now an assistant coach at Richmond, said Pickett’s colourful past puts football into its proper perspective.

Marlion Pickett speaks to the media yesterday. Picture: AAP

“Obviously, he’s had a history in his life that’s been troubled … he has been able to overcome (that) to get to the AFL … so this is probably nothing compared to most of that,” Leppitsch said.

South Fremantle coach Todd Curley was Pickett’s coach at the Bulldogs for 4½ years before Richmond decided to pounce on him at this year’s mid-season draft. He said Pickett spent last Sunday morning calling his old South Freo teammates to check on them and wish them well in that day’s WAFL grand final.

Sydney Stack, Derek Eggmolesse-Smith and Marlion Pickett celebrate their VFL premiership victory last weekend. Picture: Getty Images

He made those calls despite being in the middle of his own preparation for that afternoon’s VFL grand final, in which he starred and ultimately won the Norm Goss Medal for best on ground.

Marlion Pickett powers away from a Williamstown defender during his best on ground performance for Richmond in last weekend’s VFL grand final. Picture: Getty Images

“He will go well,” Curley said. “It’s a fantastic story.

“He’s a great person, he has worked really hard … He’s earned the right to play and given the esteem in which he’s held in our group, they will just be over the moon for him.”

Earlier this week, Richmond captain Trent Cotchin said Pickett had spoken openly about the trouble he had found himself in as a teenager and the lessons he had learnt from that.

“His journey is already an amazing one full of lots of ups and downs but he is just an incredible person,” Cotchin said.

“It is an interesting one because you don’t want to delve too deeply into people’s pasts but he is pretty open about it. I think it makes him feel even more open when you do talk.”