Marlion Pickett - Belief

AFL PHOTOS

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are warned that this book contains images of people who are deceased or who may now be deceased.

BELIEF

First published in Australia in 2020 by

Simon & Schuster (Australia) Pty Limited

Suite 19A, Level 1, Building C, 450 Miller Street, Cammeray, NSW 2062

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Marlion Pickett 2020

Marlion Pickett asserts his right to be known as the author of this work.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher.

Authors note: Some names have been changed in this biography

ISBN: 9781760857516 (ebook)

Jacket and text design: Lisa White

Front and back jacket images: Tina Smigielski

Inside jacket images: author photo Quinn Rooney/AFL Photos; goal-kicking sequence Ryan Pierse/AFL Photos; jacket reverse Robert Cianflone/AFL Photos

Some people say whats happened to me is a fairytale, but if youre looking for a change and a better life then its up to you if you want to change it

MARLION PICKETT, AUSTRALIAN STORY

I have had the privilege of hearing the roar of the Tiger Army, both as a player and administrator, for more than half my life. But the roar when Marlion Pickett kicked his goal in the third quarter of the 2019 Grand Final was unlike anything I had experienced before. The stadium shook, it was palpable.

The goal itself was quite straightforward. A precision pass from Dustin Martin landed in Marlions hands 40 metres out from goal and directly in front. The kick sailed straight through the middle. He pointed to the heavens, acknowledging those close to him who are no longer with us. Teammates mobbed him, beaming with unbridled joy. Fans rejoiced in the goal and the story. It was an unforgettable moment that will live long in the hearts and minds of everyone who was at the MCG that day.

But the journey to that moment was anything but straightforward. The Marlion Pickett story is a tribute to perseverance, self-belief and family. It is the story of someone that never gave up on their dream and became the first grand final debutant since 1952. At that moment, this quietly spoken, hard-working young man was a world away from where it all began. This book shares his remarkable story.

Brendon Gale

CEO, Richmond Football Club

I remember calling Marlion Pickett into my office. Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin were already there we were going to break the news that he would be making his AFL debut in the 2019 grand final.

The recruiting team and coaches had liked what they had seen of Marlion long before he arrived at Richmond. He was a natural footballer, a smooth mover who had an innate feel for the game.

He arrived in mid-2019 and was quickly dominating VFL games and he had all the traits of an AFL footballer. When injury created opportunity, he was next in line.

He sat down in my office and we told him he was playing. There were no tears or histrionics. Just a nod and a smirk followed by a warm embrace with his teammates. He played superbly in the grand final, handling the moment in a way very few thought he would be capable of on the big stage.

It did not surprise me. I think his reaction to the news he would be playing told me that. It was the reaction of someone who has dealt with much bigger issues in his life than a game of football. It was the reaction of someone whose lived experience we could not begin to understand. It was the reaction of someone that knew he could cope.

The Marlion Pickett story is a remarkable one. We are incredibly proud to have him at our club. His journey to becoming a Richmond man is truly extraordinary.

Damien Hardwick

Senior Coach, Richmond Football Club

AFL PHOTOS

PROLOGUE

28 September 2019, Melbourne Cricket Ground

The black guernsey with the yellow diagonal stripe bearing a big white number 50 on the back has been neatly folded, ready for the ceremony. People are crammed into the concrete rectangle bedecked with black and yellow bunting. It reeks of adrenaline and rubbed liniment, some fresh, some lingering since Ron Clarke lit the Olympic flame back when men wore hats and women long gloves. Goodwill abounds, and there is a collective sense of history in the making.

The jumper presentation is a big moment in the life not just of the player preparing for his or her first league game but in the lives of all those who have guided them to this achievement. For the recipient, nothing can ever be the same. To have played a game at the top level of the Australian Football League gives you status for life. Even one miserable game sets you apart from all of us dreamers who have stood on the terrace, the hill or behind the goals in glaring sun and driving rain. One game and you are baptised into a rare fellowship

Todays ceremony is special.

For a start, it is taking place in the bowels of the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the basilica of the game. Its such a privilege to debut here, like starting your Test cricket career at Lords or making your music debut at the Grand Ole Opry.

But today, 28 September 2019, is even more singular. Other footballers have made their debut at the ground, just not on this special day in the football calendar: the AFL grand final. Its like a jockey having their first ride ever in the Melbourne Cup. You have to go back sixty-seven years to find a precedent, when Collingwoods Keith Batchelor made his debut in the 1952 VFL grand final.

So yes, this is highly unusual, to say the least. In under an hour the stadium will have close on a hundred thousand nervous souls, drumming their feet, gulping pies, screaming their lungs out. At the moment a lot are still outside enjoying the festivities, or in bars grabbing a drink before things get serious.

For those down here, though, the focus is on the slog it has taken by player and family alike to get to this point: Auskick, endless car trips to junior training and far-away matches, canteen duty, goal umpiring in driving rain, last-minute dashes for forgotten boots. Most making their debut are only a year or two out of school. There are traces of teenage pimples, Mum still does their laundry.