Michael Barlow
Barlow playing for Gold Coast in June 2017
Personal information
Full name Michael Barlow
Date of birth (1987-12-18) 18 December 1987
Place of birth Shepparton
Original team(s) Werribee (VFL)
Shepparton United (GVFNL)
Draft 8th pick, 2010 Rookie Draft
Height 189 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight 91 kg (201 lb)
Position(s) Midfielder
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2010–2016 Fremantle 126 (81)
2017–2018 Gold Coast 015 (11)
Total 141 (92)
Coaching career3
Years Club Games (W–L–D)
2021—2023 Werribee
Total 48 (32–16–0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2018.
3 Coaching statistics correct as of 2023.
Career highlights

Playing career

Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Michael Barlow (born 18 December 1987) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Fremantle Football Club and Gold Coast Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Early life

Barlow grew up in regional Victoria town of Shepparton. He was educated at Notre Dame College, Shepparton before finishing his schooling as a boarder at Assumption College, Kilmore.

Early career

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)

Barlow joined the North Melbourne Football Club and will replace Gavin Brown as their new Head of Development ahead of the 2024 AFL season.[26]

Honours and Achievements

Team

Individual

Statistics

Statistics are correct to the end of the 2018 season[27]
Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2010 Fremantle 211315315021236266661.20.211.516.327.85.15.1
2011 Fremantle 219488313421732370.40.99.214.924.13.64.1
2012 Fremantle 21248143102755851031240.30.612.911.524.44.35.2
2013 Fremantle 212414133023346361001420.60.512.613.926.54.25.9
2014 Fremantle 2119189255250505111971.00.513.413.226.65.85.1
2015 Fremantle 21241692532975501161030.70.410.512.422.94.84.3
2016 Fremantle 21136213318531845790.50.210.214.224.53.56.1
2017 Gold Coast 201210813117430553480.80.710.914.525.44.44.0
2018 Gold Coast 203123741782180.30.712.313.726.07.02.7
Career 141 92 68 1654 1902 3556 647 704 0.7 0.5 11.7 13.5 25.2 4.6 5.0

References

  1. ↑ Mallinder, Terry (21 December 2009). "Barlow docks at Fremantle to begin AFL voyage". Leader News. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2010.
  2. ↑ Daffey, Paul (16 June 2007). "Teenager Jumps In Size And Reputation". The Age. Retrieved 16 March 2010.
  3. 1 2 Mallinder, Terry (30 November 2009). "Michael Barlow set to follow trend?". Wyndham Leader. Archived from the original on 6 December 2009. Retrieved 16 March 2010.
  4. ↑ Diamond, Brent (5 September 2009). "Barlow aims for AFL after stellar season". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 16 March 2010.
  5. ↑ Mitchell, Chris (15 September 2009). "Sewell wins J.J. Liston Trophy". Herald Sun. Retrieved 16 March 2010.
  6. ↑ Clarke, Tim (15 December 2009). "McPhee no draft shock - but Eagles spring a surprise". WA Today. Retrieved 16 March 2010.
  7. ↑ Clarke, Tim. "Barlow in line for instant Dockers' debut". WA Today. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 16 March 2010.
  8. ↑ Diamond, Brent (27 December 2009). "Docker signings could help set a trend". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 16 March 2010.
  9. ↑ Lovett, Michael, ed. (2005). AFL Record: Guide to season 2005. Melbourne: AFL Publishing. p. 446. ISBN 0-9580300-6-5.
  10. ↑ Washbourne, Michael (22 February 2010). "Michael Barlow leads Fremantle's rookie charge". PerthNow. Archived from the original on 24 February 2010. Retrieved 16 March 2010.
  11. ↑ "Dockers promote Michael Barlow from rookie list". Herald Sun. 16 March 2010. Retrieved 16 March 2010.
  12. ↑ Barlow stunning as Fremantle shock the Crows
  13. ↑ Michael Barlow proves instant hero for Fremantle Dockers
  14. ↑ AFL Official Stats
  15. ↑ Michael Horan Michael Barlow surgery a success, retrieved 5 July 2010
  16. ↑ "Crowley wins 2012 Doig Medal". fremantlefc.com.au. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  17. ↑ "Fyfe wins the Doig Medal". fremantlefc.com.au. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  18. ↑ "Fyfe goes back-to-back". fremantlefc.com.au. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  19. ↑ Schmook, Nathan (24 October 2016). "Barlow's Docker days over, searching for new club". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
  20. ↑ Waterworth, Ben (8 November 2016). "Michael Barlow joins Gold Coast Suns as an AFL delisted free agent". Fox Sports (Australia). News Corp Australia. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  21. ↑ Hamilton, Andrew (18 June 2017). "Barlow to 'play plenty more' despite broken leg". The West Australian. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  22. ↑ afl.com.au
  23. ↑ "Michael Barlow returns to Werribee". www.werribeefc.com.au. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  24. ↑ "Shaun Mannagh from heaven: Why Cats plucked 26 year-old from VFL". afl.com.au. 21 November 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  25. ↑ "MICK IS ON THE MOVE". Werribee Football Club.
  26. ↑ "Former Docker joins Roos' after impressive VFL stint". afl.com.au. 2 October 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  27. ↑ Michael Barlow's player profile at AFL Tables
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