Belief

From prison to premiership glory; this is Marlion Pickett’s extraordinary story.

It’s the third quarter in the biggest game of the season. A young man lines up for goal. The 100,000 strong crowd leaps to its feet and roars as Marlion Pickett sends the ball soaring through the goalposts for his first ever major, celebrated by every teammate, a tradition upheld even on Grand Final day.

It was the 2019 AFL Grand Final, and Richmond’s Marlion Pickett was making history as the first player in over 50 years to debut on that ‘one day in September’.

Marlion helped the Tigers thrash the Greater Western Sydney Giants in their debut grand final appearance and was judged third best on ground, only six days after steering Richmond’s VFL team with his best on ground performance to their nail biting Grand Final victory.

Marlion Pickett’s extraordinary story of redemption is a true fairy tale. The tale of a man who came back from the brink to triumph on Australian sport’s biggest stage, a long-held dream come true.

What’s even more remarkable about Marlion’s journey is how this young, troubled Aboriginal kid from Western Australia ever got his chance in the first place. A story all too sadly familiar – about drugs, crime, violence and time spent in jail – but also about a life picked up piece by piece through his own belief in himself and those around him who believed in him too.

Belief also takes us inside the South Fremantle and Richmond Football clubs – clubs that have made stars and cult heroes out of other Indigenous players; clubs willing to overlook a talented kid’s troubled past to give him a chance. We meet the fellow players and support network who stood by Marlion’s side as he fought back against injury and the doubters and proudly ran onto the field at the MCG.

Marlion’s resilience and strength is inspirational. His is an unforgettable Australian story of triumph over adversity.

About the Authors

Marlion Pickett is an AFL footballer who plays for the Richmond Tigers. After a troubled youth, including a stint in jail, Marlion was the first AFL player to win a premiership in his debut game since 1926.

Dave is an award-winning novelist (Ned Kelly for Best Australian Crime Fiction, WA Premier’s Award for Literature) with nine published adult crime novels and a number of non-fiction books on sport and music. He has a long association with Aussie Rules and was commentator for Sydney Swans games in the 90s on Kick AM and 2GB.