Unlike most players in the AFL, Barlow did not play in the TAC Cup as a junior,[1] but instead played for Shepparton United in the Goulburn Valley Football League, where he represented Victoria Country in 2007 as a 19-year-old. Barlow also won Shepparton United's best and fairest at age 19 before moving to the Victorian Football League (VFL) at the end of the 2007 season.[2] He moved to play for the Werribee Football Club in the VFL in 2008. He had a very successful season in 2009, having moved from the forward line into the midfield,[3] winning Werribee's best player award, the Fothergill–Round Medal as the league's best young player,[4] came second in the 2009 J. J. Liston Trophy for the league's best and fairest player,[5] and was named in the VFL's Team of the Year in both 2008 and 2009.[6]
AFL career
Barlow playing for Fremantle in May 2014
After training with St Kilda during the 2009 pre-season and with Essendon after the 2009 season,[7] Barlow was drafted to Fremantle Football Club with their first selection in the 2010 Rookie Draft—the eighth overall. He was one of eight players from the VFL selected in the rookie draft. Alex Silvagni was also drafted to Fremantle from the Casey Scorpions.[8] He also continued the trend of Fothergill–Round medallists being rookie listed, with all bar one of the previous seven winners being selected in the rookie draft: Michael Firrito (2002), Aaron Davey (2003), Adam Fisher (won the medal in 2004, rookie listed in 2003),[9]Jason Davenport (2006), Shane Valenti (2007) and Robin Nahas (2008).[3]
After performing well in Fremantle's three NAB Cup pre-season games,[10] Barlow was promoted to Fremantle's senior list as a nominated rookie, enabling him to play throughout the 2010 AFL season.[11]
He made a successful debut for Fremantle in the opening round of the 2010 AFL season, gaining 33 possessions and kicking two goals, and was named as one of the best players on the ground.[12] It was the most possessions gained by a player on debut since the AFL's official data partner, Champion Data, began collecting statistics in 1992, beating Bradd Dalziell's 32 possessions in 2008.[13] In his first Derby (R6 2010), Barlow was awarded the Ross Glendinning Medal for being the best player on the ground. His game consisted of 10 kicks, 15 handballs, 4 marks, 8 tackles and a goal.[14]
A broken leg ended Barlow's season in Round 14 against Port Adelaide: late in the final quarter of the game, an awkward collision with teammate Rhys Palmer saw Barlow cleanly break both the tibia and fibula in his left leg, a few inches below the knee.[15]
He was awarded the Best First Year Player Award at the 2010 AFL Players Association awards, despite missing 8 home and away games due to his broken leg.
After missing the first 12 rounds of the 2011 home and away season recovering from his broken leg, Barlow made his comeback in the Dockers round 13 clash with Melbourne at the MCG, after playing 2 games of WAFL football over the previous 2 weeks. Barlow gathered 25 disposals to be one of the Dockers best in the huge 89-point loss to the Demons in what was deemed a successful return to AFL football. However, he missed the following two games against Brisbane and the Gold Coast with soreness in his leg. He returned as the substitute in the round 17 clash against Sydney at the SCG, collecting 11 disposals after being activated on to the ground at three-quarter time.
Barlow finished off the season strongly from then on, playing every game onwards and averaging just over 24 disposals. Although his form wasn't quite as stellar as his debut season, it was an impressive return to football.
Leading up to the 2012 season, Barlow again faced difficulties with his rebuilt leg, experiencing more soreness weeks before the season began. He missed the whole pre-season competition and returned as the substitute again in the opening two games against Geelong and Sydney. Since then his form improved, with his best performance occurring in the Round 14 clash with Collingwood, where he collected a career high 37 disposals. He finished 9th in the club's best and fairest award, the Doig Medal.[16]
He continued to be a key part of Fremantle's midfield in the following years, finishing seventh[17] and sixth[18] in the Doig Medal in 2013 and 2014 respectively.
At the conclusion of the 2016 AFL season, Barlow was delisted by Fremantle.[19] He subsequently joined Gold Coast as a delisted free agent.[20]
Barlow had played in every game for the Suns in 2017 until he again broke the fibula in his left leg whilst being tackled by Bryce Gibbs during a match against Carlton in round 13.[21]
Barlow was delisted by the Suns at the end of the 2018 season.[22]
In October 2018, Barlow was announced as a playing assistant coach with original VFL club Werribee for 2019.[23]
Coaching career
Werribee senior coach (2021–2023)
In 2021, Barlow was appointed head coach of the Werribee Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Barlow's 2 year coaching journey in South Western Melbourne helped Werribee end their Grand Final drought and helped players such as Shaun Mannagh earn their spot on an AFL list.[24] At the end of the 2023 season, he left to join North Melbourne as a Development Manager.[25]
North Melbourne Head of Developement (2023–present)
The Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Dockers or Freo and known as Walyalup in Noongar, is a professional Australian rules football club competing in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's elite competition. The team was founded in 1994 to represent the port city of Fremantle, a stronghold of Australian rules football in Western Australia. The Dockers were the second team from the state to be admitted to the competition, following the West Coast Eagles in 1987. Both Fremantle and the West Coast Eagles are owned by the West Australian Football Commission (WAFC), with a board of directors operating Fremantle on the commission's behalf.
The Doig Medal is the best and fairest award given out to the player considered best and fairest during a season for the Fremantle Football Club in the AFL.
Ryan Crowley is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Fremantle Football Club and the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He played as a midfielder and specialised in a tagging role.
James Podsiadly is a former professional Australian rules football player who played for the Geelong Football Club and the Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was drafted by Geelong as a mature-age rookie at pick #50 in the 2010 rookie draft and was traded to Adelaide after the 2013 season.
Michael Johnson is a former professional Australian rules footballer, who played for the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League.
Fremantle Football Club's drafting and trading history is often cited as a reason for their poor on-field record; the club took eight years to reach a final, and won their first final in 2006. In recent years, however, they have been successful in finding good players with late round and rookie list selections.
Clayton Collard is an Australian rules footballer. He plays as a midfielder or small forward and was selected by the Fremantle Football Club with selection 31 in the 2006 AFL National draft. He was rookie listed by the Richmond Football Club in the 2007 Rookie Draft at pick 1. In August 2008 he was delisted from the Richmond Football Club.
Clancee Pearce is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Nathan Fyfe is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He served as Fremantle captain from 2017 to 2022, becoming the second-longest serving captain in the club's history. Fyfe is a dual Brownlow Medallist, dual Leigh Matthews Trophy recipient, three-time All-Australian and three-time Doig Medallist. He received a nomination for the 2010 AFL Rising Star award in round 9 of the 2010 season.
The 2010 Fremantle Football Club season was the club's 16th season of competition in the Australian Football League (AFL). The club reached the finals for the third time and won its first ever Elimination Final, beating Hawthorn at Subiaco Oval before losing to Geelong at the MCG to end the season.
Alex Silvagni is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Fremantle and Carlton Football Clubs in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Vivian "Viv" Michie is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Fremantle Football Club and Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
The 2013 Fremantle Football Club season was the club's 19th season of senior competition in the Australian Football League (AFL). It was the club's most successful season to date, recording their second most wins in a season, highest percentage and second highest final ladder position of 3rd. The club won its first ever Qualifying Final, and defeated Sydney in the Preliminary Final at Patersons Stadium and played in its first AFL Grand Final against Hawthorn, losing by 15 points.
Connor Blakely is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Fremantle Football Club and the Gold Coast Suns in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Joshua Deluca is a former professional Australian rules footballer who last played for the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL) after being delisted.
Sam Collins is a professional Australian rules footballer who plays for the Gold Coast in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Luke Ryan is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). A versatile player Ryan is a Doig Medalist as well as an All-Australian.
The 2018 Fremantle Football Club season was the 24th season contested by the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League. It was also the 2nd season in the AFL Women's league.
Andrew Brayshaw is a professional Australian rules footballer and the co vice-captain of the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Lachlan Schultz is a professional Australian rules footballer who plays for the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He previously played for the Fremantle Football Club from 2019–2023.
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