Flying_dutchman
Debutant
I can't help but think that with the 42nd pick in the 2006 National draft K. Sheedy made one of his last but most inspired choices in his ambition to make the Essendon Football club the premier sporting club in Australia. In 1981 when Sheed's took over the helm the club was practically a basket case, just enduring one of the bleakest periods in their very long and decorated history. Since then He has devoted his life not only to the on field performance of the club but to the idea of making it into the off field success he knew it could be.
In drafting Bachar Houli from the western suburbs of Melbourne it could tap the EFC into a very large and expanding demographic, most of which are new to Australia and have no football allegiances what so ever. The Muslim community in Australia currently numbers around 300,000 I would think maybe around 100,000 of which would be in Melbourne. That represents a huge number of families most of which are relatively new to this country.
As Houli's profile rises in the AFL so it will within the Muslim community particularly in Melbourne. As most of you Bomber fans have seen this kid’s potential on the field is massive and could translate into a huge amount of new Essendon supporters. And the beauty is that they are not in Launceston, Gold Coast or Shanghai for that matter, they are right here in Melbourne. I'm not expecting huge amounts of Muslim families to start flocking to the dome but over time the younger kids looking for role models and someone to identify with may turn to the young Lebanese-Australian from the western suburbs of Melbourne.
Was this going through the minds of Sheed's and the Essendon recruiting staff when Houli slipped though to pick 42? Why did he slip to 42? When he made his debut in mid-2007 he looked ready made and to have little down side. So was it the fact that he was a Muslim and was required to fast during September which turned other clubs off? We may never know, but even if my predictions don't come true we've still got a bloody good player for pick 42.
In drafting Bachar Houli from the western suburbs of Melbourne it could tap the EFC into a very large and expanding demographic, most of which are new to Australia and have no football allegiances what so ever. The Muslim community in Australia currently numbers around 300,000 I would think maybe around 100,000 of which would be in Melbourne. That represents a huge number of families most of which are relatively new to this country.
As Houli's profile rises in the AFL so it will within the Muslim community particularly in Melbourne. As most of you Bomber fans have seen this kid’s potential on the field is massive and could translate into a huge amount of new Essendon supporters. And the beauty is that they are not in Launceston, Gold Coast or Shanghai for that matter, they are right here in Melbourne. I'm not expecting huge amounts of Muslim families to start flocking to the dome but over time the younger kids looking for role models and someone to identify with may turn to the young Lebanese-Australian from the western suburbs of Melbourne.
Was this going through the minds of Sheed's and the Essendon recruiting staff when Houli slipped though to pick 42? Why did he slip to 42? When he made his debut in mid-2007 he looked ready made and to have little down side. So was it the fact that he was a Muslim and was required to fast during September which turned other clubs off? We may never know, but even if my predictions don't come true we've still got a bloody good player for pick 42.
