Richmond dual AFL premiership winner to retire – as he faces ongoing criminal charges including burglary

Two-time premiership winner Marlion Pickett will retire this weekend – and then the Richmond AFL star will face allegations he was involved in stealing more than $380,000 in a number of commercial burglaries across Perth last summer.

Pickett, 32, will play his 91st and final footy game against former mentor Damien Hardwick’s Gold Coast at the MCG on Saturday.

He was famously a mid-season, mature-aged draftee from Western Australia who debuted in the 2019 AFL grand final win.

Pickett then went onto feature in the Tigers‘ 2020 flag triumph.

The father of four – who served jail time as a teenager – often feared his shot at the AFL would never come.

‘It’s been a good journey… I didn’t think I was ever going to get drafted,’ he said this week.

‘My past and the way I grew up is different to everyone else’s and it was not easy to get drafted. I got overlooked for six or seven years, and 2019 I was about to quit all my dreams.

‘[Thankfully] I had some people in my corner, and they told me to stick at it….they told me just to give it another year.

Two-time AFL premiership winner Marlion Pickett will retire this weekend (pictured, after winning the flag with Richmond in 2019)

Pickett is facing allegations he was involved in stealing more than $380,000 in a number of commercial burglaries across Perth last summer – he plans to plead not guilty in court

‘The sacrifices that we [family] made…it was all worth it.’

Off the field, Pickett is facing some considerable challenges.

In June last year – following Richmond’s win over Fremantle at Optus Stadium – the midfielder was charged with 12 offences and spent the night in custody before being granted bail.

Among the charges were three counts of stealing, four charges of aggravated burglary and commit and three counts of criminal damage or destruction of property.

It will be alleged the footy star was involved in four commercial burglaries dating between December 3, 2022 and January 3 last year across Perth.

Pickett is accused of helping to steal over $350,000 from businesses in Beverley, Bindoon, Beechboro and Girrawheen.

One heist allegedly saw $325,000 taken from a currency exchange. 

Pickett has also been accused of hiring a campervan to transport the money across Australia, as well as buying the necessary tools and clothes for the alleged crimes. 

He allegedly pocketed $15,000 in stolen money for his services.

Daily Mail Australia understands Pickett will plead not guilty, with a trial to follow in the Perth District Court.