'Affinity for state footy': Barlow takes on Werribee coaching role

By Max Stainkamph

Jan 28, 2021

Werribee was a major part in launching Michael Barlow into an AFL career, and again the Shepparton product has found himself using the club as a launching pad.

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Barlow will lead the Tigers in his first full-time coaching gig in 2021 after his stint at Yarraville in the scrapped 2020 season didn't come together.

He said the job cropping up at the place he was a playing assistant in 2019 was a perfect storm.

“I was pretty happy at Yarraville and at Simon Black’s Academy, the job popped up at the right time and it fit well,” he said.

“With me being a playing assistant under ‘Choco’ (Mark Williams) it was a huge learning curve to sit under him and see how he worked.”

He said he was excited for the season to kick off after a busy first month in the job trying to get the club together post-coronavirus.

“It’s been a whirlwind last month which has gone super quickly,” Barlow said.

“We’re really lucky with the demographic we have, a lot of the players were keen to stay on. We haven’t lost too many and they haven’t lost their appetite.”

Barlow also knows first-hand what it takes to play in the VFL, especially as a mature-aged player having taken that path himself into the AFL in 2007.

“I think it’s a positive and what made the role appeal to me . . . I’ve got an affinity for state league footy and I think the guys appreciate that,” he said.

“I’ve got empathy for the lifestyle a lot of these guys live. They’re at uni studying or on the tools and coming to training after work and I think it gave me an added edge (to get the job).”

He said about 70 per cent of players had committed to returning after the club's finals assault in 2019.

“I'm not sure how the rest of the comp’s looking, we’re pretty lucky to have their loyalty,” he said.

“They’re really keen and had a good year in 2019, so we’re keen to see what the new comp will be like."

The new competition for 2021 will have 22 clubs across the east coast, from standalone VFL clubs to NEAFL clubs to AFL-aligned reserve sides, lining up for a 16-round season.

Barlow backed the move by the AFL.

“It will be good going forward, it's appealing to players to play against more AFL-listed players,” he said.

“Just flying to games will be a step up in professionalism, they’ll have three or four games a year where they fly to Brisbane or Sydney and will definitely be better for recruiting.”

He said it put to bed the tiny thought of playing again, with six players under 22 required to line up in each game.

“With the dynamics of the new competition and age limits . . . it made up my mind for me,” Barlow said.

“Takes away the anxiety of injury and staying up before a game and having to run 12 to 15 kilometres in a match."

Will the Werribee coaching role springboard him into the AFL like playing there did?

At this stage it's unlikely.

“I’ve been pretty open in saying coaching at AFL level wouldn’t interest me right now and the work-life balance I want,” Barlow said.

“This role suits me down to the ground.”