With 14 players in the Coates Talent League, six in the Smithy’s VFL, three in the SANFL and one in the WAFL, the BHF’s talent pool has increased once again in 2025.
Featuring for Richmond’s VFL side once again this year is Mutaz El Nour and Mohammed Yassine.
El Nour, the 192cm hybrid defender, is in his fifth VFL season – his third at the Club.
For a second consecutive year, El Nour was named a vice-captain of the side.
Off the back of an impressive start to the season for the VFL Tigers, the 23-year-old was selected to represent the VFL in the AAMI State Game earlier this year.
El Nour formed part of the Victorian side which defeated the SANFL’s West End State Team on Saturday, April 12 at Tanunda Oval.
Yassine, 21, enters his fourth year at the Club.
The livewire small forward has booted six goals from five games this season, with a standout performance coming in the Tigers’ thrilling six-point win over Sandringham in Round 2, where he kicked two goals and collected three marks, four tackles and 11 disposals.
Both in their draft years, Hussien El Achkar and Adam Sweid have returned to the Under-18 Calder Cannons
The dynamic duo have enjoyed stellar starts to their respective Talent League campaigns.
El Achkar is a crafty and nimble half-forward, with a strong goal sense.
From three outings this year, the vice-captain has converted 10 goals to emerge as one of the league’s most potent forwards, impressively booting four from his 15 disposals in his side’s five-point win over the Oakleigh Chargers in Round 1.
Sweid, the tough ball-winning midfielder, has been a key cog in the Cannons’ midfield this year.
Clean, tough and versatile, Sweid has been impactful on both sides of the ball, averaging 23 disposals, four marks and seven tackles so far this season.
His finest performance to date came in Round 3 against the Northern Knights where he notched up 30 disposals, seven marks, nine tackles and five inside-50’s.
El Achkar and Sweid have both been selected to represent Victoria Metro this year.
Joining El Achkar and Sweid as Under-18 Cannons this year is Carled El Khodr, Blake Justice and Jad Naim.
El Khodr joins the Cannons as a top-age player, while Justice and Naim feature for the Under 18 side for the first time.
Jad is the younger brother of Amin, who is a Northern Bullant in 2025.
The hybrid forward has booted two goals in three games at VFL level. Prior to joining the Bullants, Naim was with the VFL Bombers after graduating through their Next Generation Academy (NGA) program.
Also a graduate of Essendon’s NGA program is Mahmoud Taha, who has secured himself a playing contract as a VFL Bomber for a second consecutive season.
Also featuring at VFL level this season is Omar Abou-Eid and Noah Hijazi.
Abou-Eid, the 200cm ruck, earned a list spot with Footscray VFL in 2025 after impressing for the Calder Cannons in the Talent League last year.
Noah Hijazi, 19-years-old, earned a train-on position at North Melbourne VFL.
The athletic defender was a participant in the BHF’s recent Elite Performance Academy in the United Arab Emirates.
Also joining the BHF internationally as an elite participant was Taaj Assafiri, who is once again a Western Jet in 2025.
Assafiri, like El Khodr for the Calder Cannons, will feature for the Jets this season as a top-age player.
Joining Assafiri as Under-18 Jets in 2025 are Mahmoud El-Haouli, Zane Gentner, Rafiek Haddara and Khaled El-Souki.
Since being selected as part of the Foundation’s future’s program in late 2023, El-Souki has continued to emerge.
Smooth-moving with a raking left foot, the 16-year-old has enjoyed a strong start to life as a regular in the Jets’ line-up.
He has converted five goals from five appearances this season, and enjoyed a stand-out performance against Northern Territory in Round 6, collecting 31 disposals, four marks, five tackles, six inside-50’s and kicking one goal.
Emerging this season as an Under-16 Western Jet is Jamal Hawli.
The young gun was awarded the Junior Bachar Houli Medal last year after displaying outstanding leadership qualities throughout the academy, as voted by his peers.
Also featuring in the Talent League as Under-16 players are Ahmad Abdallah, Isa Merhi and Moustafa Darwish – all with the Calder Cannons.
Darwish, the side’s co-captain, was selected to represent School Sport Victoria’s Under-15 side last year. The explosive midfielder has also been chosen to represent Victoria Metro this year.
Spearheaded by Ahmed Saad- Head of BHF Programs & High-Performance, the impact of the Foundation’s academies is evident on a national basis in 2025.
Four non-Victorian participants feature in talent pathway programs across Australia, the highest level of national representation the BHF has ever achieved.
In South Australia, Aymen Ismail and Zain Baroudi return to Under 18 SANFL football with North Adelaide and Glenelg, respectively.
They will both be joined by Malik Osman, who joins the talent pathway as an Under-16 player with Norwood.
Heading west, Riaz Mohammad is making strides for East Fremantle in the WAFL’s Colts (Under-19) competition.
Mohammad has put up 13 disposals, two marks and two tackles on average through six games this season, and he has been selected to represent Western Australia’s Under-18 representative state team for the second consecutive year.
Saad said “It’s fantastic to see the talent on display in our communities across Australia.”
“These young men take every little bit we have to offer, and it’s no surprise to see they’re starting to reap the rewards of playing high-level football,” Saad said.
“We look forward to continuing and supporting the ongoing development of each footballer on-field, but just as importantly for us at the (Bachar Houli) Foundation, off-field as leaders as well.”