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  1. #1
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    Barlow's redemption

    By Jennifer Witham



    FOR ALMOST two months late last year, Ed Barlow was left to contemplate whether his chance to forge an AFL career might have been gone.

    The Sydney Swans, the club he'd spent five years at and played 26 games for, had just delisted him and he was unsure about what was ahead.

    After spending three weeks abroad, starting with a visit to Vancouver to attend former teammate Mike Pyke's wedding, followed by a tour of San Francisco, Las Vegas, Arizona and Los Angeles with retired Swan Henry Playfair, he returned to Australia and faced the possibility his window of opportunity had closed.

    He knew he still wanted to play football, and packed up his Sydney life and moved to Melbourne to live with his parents and brother in a small Hawthorn apartment.

    He worked for a mate in the shed business, but admitted he "wasn't his best worker", and thought long and hard about what he could do with his partially finished exercise science and psychology degree.

    Then, when the Western Bulldogs asked him to come down and train with them shortly before they headed to New Zealand for a pre-season adventure camp in early December, things started to change.

    "I thought it was over. You don't really realise it's over until it's over. I was fine with it but it wasn't until I was told I was going to be delisted, it really hit home," Barlow told westernbulldogs.com.au this week.

    "I thought, 'Would I really be happy if my AFL career finished right now?' And I guess looking back now, I wasn't happy with that.

    "It was just a massive relief to get another chance."

    Barlow impressed the Bulldogs during training, and was given that chance in mid-December when they called his name with selection No.55 in the 2011 NAB AFL Rookie Draft.

    His girlfriend Lindsay moved to Melbourne, they found a place in Fitzroy Street, and he started phase two of his AFL career after it had appeared all but over just a few months before.

    "I knew the Bulldogs were interested but I didn't want to get my hopes up in case nothing happened," Barlow said.

    "The club was really good and they were really honest with what they were thinking about the rookie draft.

    "Then coming here, I knew this would be a big year for me and I did need to play."

    The delisting hadn't come as a surprise. Barlow knew the conversation with John Longmire, who was poised to take over as coach at the end of last season, was nigh, and had even asked for a trade as he had sensed his time at the club was up.

    "It was my fifth year there and I'd just played the one game against Geelong and I didn't do well," he said.

    "I'd be stupid if I said I didn't see it coming. When I did my hammy the second time and they ruled me out for the season, I knew it would be hard to get another contract.

    "Even if I did, I had started to think it was time to move on."

    Barlow admitted his hope dropped after he attracted little interest in trade week, and then after he was passed up at the NAB AFL Draft in November.

    Looking back now, he believes that was all a blessing in disguise, landing on his feet at the Bulldogs and playing a role on the wing after his elevation to the senior list last month.

    "I think the secret for me is that I don't ever get too complacent. I don't ever get happy where I am and I just take it week by week," Barlow said.

    "I just try and play my role for the team and I think I've been doing that and it's been going well.

    "I don't want to do anything out of the ordinary; I just want to do my bit for the team and hopefully get us the win."

    When Barlow arrived at Whitten Oval, he was instantly surrounded by familiar faces.

    There was assistant coach Paul Williams, who was in his last year at the Swans when Barlow started his career, and former teammates Barry Hall and Patrick Veszpremi.

    There was also Nathan Djerrkura, with whom he had boarded along with Hawthorn forward Cyril Rioli. Melbourne midfielder James Strauss and Swans defender Nick Smith were also there in his senior years at Melbourne's Scotch College.

    While Barlow spent a large part of his teenage years in Tathra, a seaside town in New South Wales' Bega Valley Shire - hence his nickname of 'Cheesy' - his childhood was based in Melbourne.

    It was this that made him want to return to Victoria after his career at the Swans ended, and to join his parents who had also moved south to enhance their career prospects.

    Barlow admitted he felt "at home" in Melbourne, and largely the same at Whitten Oval.

    And, as for suggestion he and dreadlocked speedster Luke Dahlhaus have played a large part in the Bulldogs' resurgence, having brought a new kind of energy to the team since their debuts in rounds 12, Barlow is reluctant to take any personal credit.

    "I'd like to think I've tried but little Dal definitely has with his speed and pressure, and he's playing some really good football," Barlow said.

    "I'm just really enjoying the wing and playing at half-forward, running up and running back.

    "With that, the confidence is growing a bit each week and that helps.

    "The main thing is I'm just enjoying it, up until I did my finger [against Melbourne last week], just with the way things are going but I won't be complacent and I want to make sure I stay hungry."

    Barlow is hopeful he will miss just one game with the finger he fractured against the Demons, which required a minor operation on Monday to reinforce the bone.
    FFC: Established 1883

    Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.

  2. #2
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    Re: Barlow's redemption

    Have really enjoyed what Ed has been able to bring to the table for us this season, i don't see any reason why he couldn't continue his career with us.

  3. #3
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    Re: Barlow's redemption

    Quote Originally Posted by Glove38 View Post
    Have really enjoyed what Ed has been able to bring to the table for us this season, i don't see any reason why he couldn't continue his career with us.
    He doesn't look like a superstar but as he keeps maturing he seems to be getting better and better. 196cm players that can run all day are rare and I believe he can be servicable for the dogs without being a star. Unfortunatelty supporters expect every player to pick up 30 possesions and kick 3 goals a week, but you do need the foot soldiers as well, and Barlow fits into that cattegory.
    FFC: Established 1883

    Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.

  4. #4
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    Re: Barlow's redemption

    I'm a big fan of what he brings to the table, and I think he will become an increasingly valuable commodity in the modern game. Hope he only misses the one week.

  5. #5
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    Re: Barlow's redemption

    Ed has got better every week and to play almost 3/4 with a fractured finger shows he really wants this second chance to work. The dogs have got some gold from rookie list he just could be another one.
    Very versatile cog in the team .

  6. #6
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    Re: Barlow's redemption

    List clogger who won't stand up in big games.

  7. #7
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    Re: Barlow's redemption

    Quote Originally Posted by Crimmo is a legend View Post
    List clogger who won't stand up in big games.
    I tend to think he is just a handy rookie list type player that would need a lot of luck to make it on to our senior list.
    Makes you wonder what the attraction was to add him to the rookie list especially as we always planned to take Hahn as well.
    Western Bulldogs Football Club "Where it's cool to drool"

  8. #8
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    Re: Barlow's redemption

    Quote Originally Posted by GVGjr View Post
    Makes you wonder what the attraction was to add him to the rookie list especially as we always planned to take Hahn as well.
    His versatility and his big engine would have been major factors in taking a punt on him for a rookie spot.

  9. #9
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    Re: Barlow's redemption

    Quote Originally Posted by Crimmo is a legend View Post
    List clogger who won't stand up in big games.
    You could say that about a number of our players, the big games bit that is.

  10. #10
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    Re: Barlow's redemption

    Quote Originally Posted by Crimmo is a legend View Post
    List clogger who won't stand up in big games.
    What big games has he played in?

  11. #11
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    Re: Barlow's redemption

    Barlow has now played 30 games, and I hope he can reach the 50 game mark with us. Maybe he will be better after that. Tom Williams only started to blossom last year, and that was around 40 games he had played up to that date ( Williams has now played 69 ganes) .... So Im looking for positives and to get 3 games from a rookie, is a good result.

  12. #12
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    Re: Barlow's redemption

    Quote Originally Posted by macca View Post
    Barlow has now played 30 games, and I hope he can reach the 50 game mark with us. Maybe he will be better after that. Tom Williams only started to blossom last year, and that was around 40 games he had played up to that date ( Williams has now played 69 ganes) .... So Im looking for positives and to get 3 games from a rookie, is a good result.


    Barlow's decision making should hopefully improve as he gets more experienced.

    He doesn't seem to be terribly hard at the ball, but considering he is playing as predominately as an outside, hard running wingman then that isnt soooooo much of a problem

    196cm player who can run all day and skillful - a poor mans Matthew Richardson.

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