JESS NANNUP, PARTNER: That’s your one. He was tough around the ball, but in space he would glide across the ground. The goals are directly over the top, so I’m right in the middle of the goals, and he kicks it. KELRICK MARTIN, FILM MAKER: There could be an argument to say that he's a bit of a one game wonder potentially. [70] He began full contact training in the last week of July and made a reserves-grade debut for Richmond's VFL side in the first weekend of August, kicking one goal and recording 20 disposals. He had developed great leadership. He was also imprisoned between 2010 and 2013 for multiple criminal offences including burglary. [23] Pickett was subsequently charged and found guilty of 17 counts of burglary and one count of aggravated burglary. It was put us put us the biggest lead I think we've been all day. And now it’s just focussing on my kids, my partner, and doing the best I can for them. And he's just taken everything in his stride. Pickett plays as a wing and occasionally as an inside midfielder, but previously also played as a half-back during a long state-league career. Has anyone read Marlion's book? He was the one that had the most to lose. [45][46][47][48], Pickett played in all but two matches in South Fremantle's 2017 home and away season, before contributing to the clubs preliminary finals run. We were surprised they called his name. It's the big stage. MARLION PICKETT: If I didn’t go to prison when I did, I probably wouldn’t have learnt yeah what was wrong and what was right. It is a story that is too common among indigenous communities because of entrenched disadvantage and racism. DUSTY MARTIN: All of us were so proud, so emotional. Life’s all about getting second chances and become a better person. [124][125][111] One week later, Pickett became a two-time AFL premiership player in just his 20th appearance, as Richmond defeated Geelong at the Gabba to claim a second successive premiership. So, at that time yeah, I talk to the right people and I ended up getting some marihuana and I was caught out of bounds. A dangerous position. KELRICK MARTIN, DOCUMENTARY MAKER: In 2011, Wooroloo Prison Farm joined forces with local football club over in Western Australia taking prisoners outside of prison walls to play in the local football league. At age 27 and after a six and a half season career with South Fremantle in the West Australian Football League which included a club best and fairest award, Pickett was drafted by Richmond with the 13th selection in the 2019 mid-season rookie draft. Concrete walls, barbed wire, all of that sort of stuff. 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. COMMENTATOR: If he kicks this, this will be one of the great balls in Grand Final history. And he was somebody that if you if you played alongside Marlion Pickett, you know, we felt our players walked a little bit taller. Brings other people into the game. He was more in trouble. [98][99][100] Pickett recorded 14 disposals and an equal match-high five tackles in the win, played under extraordinary conditions imposed on the league as a result of the rapid progression of the coronavirus pandemic into Australia. MARLION PICKETT: When I first got locked up, Sam was already in the prison waiting for me to move into his cell. It is Pickett's personal history, more than football history, that has made this one of the most storied first games in any sport. Yeah, he was shocked. And that changed everything. By the time he was 21 he’d spent more than three years in jail and his dream of making the AFL looked out of reach. Australian Story. And the media just swarmed us and wanted to talk to Marlion. PRISONER COACH: It’s up to you at the end of the day. Early life, junior football and criminal sentences, The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the, CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (, "Richmond set to lock in dual-premiership hero Marlion Pickett on new contract", "Richmond's Marlion Pickett to make AFL debut in grand final", "Belief: Two-time premiership Tiger Marlion Pickett on becoming a dad, jail, drugs and turning his life around", "Marlion Pickett plays his way into AFL folklore with Richmond's leap of faith", "Thinking outside the square - the left-field prospects in this year's AFL draft", "Marlion Pickett: A Breakout Season To Remember", "Charges dropped against rising football star Marlion Pickett", "State Team Representatives: Bulldogs Aplenty Star For WA", "The 10 WAFL stars AFL clubs should consider at the 2016 national and rookie drafts", "Report puts Bulldogs star Marlion Pickett in WAFL semi-finals doubt", "AFL draft 2018: The best mature-aged WAFL draft prospects", "Pickett rewarded for 2018 season with Hughes Medal", "Bulldogs put Royals away at Fremantle Oval", "Geelong sets its sights on reformed WAFL star Marlion Pickett", "Chris Doerre's final, full phantom draft", "AFL draft 2018: The unluckiest WA players to miss out", "The West Australian's top 40 WAFL players: Subiaco Lions star Kyal Horsley still king of the jungle", "Swans and Power among five clubs interested in ex-Docker", "Essendon show interest in WAFL star Pickett", "WAFL 2019: Marlion Pickett's mid-season draft chances up in the air after breaking finger in South Fremantle's win over Royals", "Tigers select Pickett in Mid-Season Draft", "TEAMS: Dons lose six, Cats dump veterans, Suns' shock cuts", "TEAMS: Stars back for Dons, five Dees out, Cat mid axed", "Tigers wait on Nank after starring role in stunning VFL win", "VFL Finals: Toby Nankervis' late goal lifts Richmond over Essendon", "AFL Teams, Week 1 of Finals 2019: Full squads, team line-ups, benches, emergencies, team news, injuries", "In the mix: Who's pushing for selection in the preliminary finals? KELRICK MARTIN, DOCUMENTARY MAKER: And everyone on the team was adamant to me at least that he was absolutely going to be an incredible AFL star on the outside. Marlion Pickett's extraordinary story of redemption is a true fairy tale. He became a two-time premiership winner with Richmond's grand final victory in 2020, earning the second honour in just his 20th game at AFL level. It's an incredible story. JESS NANNUP, PARTNER: He was a very shy person. No more textas for you. There's no sound. MATT CLARKE: The only fears we probably had in maybe in selecting Marlion was we’re taking a 27-year-old guy with a partner and four young children and relocating the from one side of the country to the other. BLAIR HARTLEY, RICHMOND PLAYER MANAGER: Still trying to build our team and we certainly looked at him closely. MARLION PICKETT: You just got to learn from your mistakes. So why is the grand final legend heading back behind bars? [59] He failed to play a match in the early part of the season however, after suffering a broken finger in a practice match one week before round 1. MARLION PICKETT: There are a lot of Indigenous families out there where a lot of family are in and out of prison for their lifetime. ANTHONY VAN DER WIELEN, SOUTH FREMANTLE BOARD MEMBER: And it was just the feel-good story of the 2019 AFL Grand Final, and that was that was before we knew that he was going to play the sort of game that he played. COMMENTATOR: Pickett, he’s a first gamer. MATT CLARKE: Yeah, we’ve selected Marlion Pickett from the South Fremantle football club. MARLION PICKETT: I had to support them then I tried to look for work but work didn’t end up finding me so I had to find another way to support them and yeah I was 18 at the time so I just partying and drinking and bit of drugs, and ended up getting into crime. [83][84] In what earned the club its first reserves premiership since 1997, Pickett recorded 19 disposals, nine tackles and a goal in a best-on-ground performance that saw him awarded the Norm Goss Memorial Medal. JESS NANNUP, PARTNER: In 2018, Marlion had doubts that he would ever make the AFL side but, I encouraged him a lot to just stick to it. LEEKESIA NANNUP, JESS’S ELDEST SISTER: Jessica was 15 years of age. And we told he was going to play. [92][93][94] Pickett's season at Richmond concluded after one AFL match and six in the VFL, with premierships at both the top-flight and reserves-grade levels. REPORTER: 37 years of disappointment purged with a deafening roar. All square in footy's nail-biting return", "Will your club play a scratch match this weekend? It was either Jess come with us or or me and Jess heading our own way. So then yeah. There's no way this is gonna work. MARLION PICKETT: Come on, you’re going to wash your hands. 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