Barlow

[BruceFromBalnarring]

What to say about Barlow? Yesterday was like the St Kilda game in Round 1. Just did not show enough interest in winning the ball. It's a fine line as anyone who has played football will know. There are some players who are 100% committed all of the time, these are guys like Kirk, Kelly, Boltons (1+2), then there are guys who are 100% committed most of the time but have the skills to sometimes pick and choose their moment, like Goodes. But these blokes know that when it's their turn, they just have to go. Barlow reminds me a lot of Dale Lewis. He gets caught in this belief that he might be able to get in and out of a contest on skill alone and applies that belief too often. Yesterday was a shocker but I do believe he has improved this aspect of his game throughout the season. If he hadn't, he would have been horribly exposed in the recent Geelong and St Kilda games. He wasn't. So I guess where there is improvement there is a case for perseverence. But I would want to see further improvement next season.

 

[goodesy37]

barlow is completely useless ive been saying it all season and everyone wants to defend him lol. and please dont mention him in the same sentence as goodes....he doesnt deserve to be on the same field as him let alone be compared to him

 

[magic.merkin]

Of course he'll get another season at the club, but next year his has to prove to the club that he can be a footballer, which he bearly can do on a regular basis.

yep one last season chance, fly or fail. He must earn his spot and keep it, if he can't then everyone involved has given the chances and we all move on.

 

[SM]

I heard Commetti say that when I watched the replay (I too had to work yesterday) but I think he may have been referring to Moore when he backed back into the pack to get the ball to Bevan.
I did listen to MMM for most of the game and they were giving poor old Barlow a real bagging.

Nah was talking about Craig Bolton exposing his ribs in the goal square to Anthony I think, flying back to punch it through. Commeti said, "I think that's just the way it goes when you've been playing at Sydney for a long time, courage is just ticked off." Moore then actually DID get smashed in the ribs, and he referred back to the Craig Bolton incident.

No chance in hell he'll be delisted this year, but yeah, next year is make or break for him. Guys like Smith have played a handful of games, but have already shown the courage and passion that guys like Kirk play with.

 

[Dangas]

Should have seen me getting into Barlow on the w/e, Pies supporters told me to shut-up, but he doesn't go for the f**king ball, he keeps waiting for it to come to him and he needs to get rid of the ball sooner. But it is a learning experience and hopefully will work on a few things over the break.

 

[db swannie]

I've been bagged for bagging him, and my opinion hasn't changed. Sadly too soft, lacks (it seems) the instinctual feel of where the play is headed next and who to give it to. He (often) panics and ends up offloading backwards when he's in a position to move it foward. As I've said before I don't like bagging a Swan, but I don't feel he has what it takes to play at AFL level. Poor bloke looks as lost as a newborn calf out there sometimes...

 

[Bega Barlow]

****ing hell you guys can be brutal sometimes...yes, he still hasn't developed any mongrel in his game, but it has been there sometimes. He hasn't played well for the last couple of weeks, but before that he was playing solid footy. For a team who's supporters consistently bemoan our lack of skill, Barlow has it in bucketloads. Of course he makes mistakes, but he's talented. Give him as long as he needs to get to where I think he can. He has a beautiful kick, and good penetration. I think comparisons between grundy and barlow can be made. Grundy had an eye-catching first game (like barlow), struggled for form after that (like barlow), when he made it back into the team he couldn't assert himself on the game and was played all over the shop (like barlow).....and yet finally he has found his role and is playing it magnificently. But before he settled I was very worried about him. Thought he had the talent, just needed to be persevered with. Like Grundy, Barlow is a confidence player. His confidence is up and down, and hence so is his form...duh! But when he's been up he's shown he has what it takes. Definitely give him another year, and just keep pushing him and trying to develop his defensive side. He's got the size, agility, and skills, he just needs to have a chat with grundy and he'll be right.

come on guys, lay off him a bit.

 

[J_Moore]

Sorry, Ed.

 

[smasher]

Poor old Ed.He certainly looks a player but maybe he's still suffering from the jitters.I would like the Swans to keep him as I don't think he has reached anywhere near his potential.

 

[RobbieK]

Poor old Ed.He certainly looks a player but maybe he's still suffering from the jitters.I would like the Swans to keep him as I don't think he has reached anywhere near his potential.

Does he "look a player"?

I don't really understand him. I don't think anyone really knows what position he should be playing, and unless he gets put somewhere and gets to stay therefor a while I don't think we will ever know that.

I think the Goodes comparisons have been incredibly unfair and unhelpful to him. It has resulted in him playing a Goodes-like role (which is basically a free marauding role through the centre and half forward lines), and it just hasn't worked.

I understand why some think he is too soft. I think the bigger problem is that is too slow - sometimes I watch him and there are balls that he should be getting to but he just doesn't have the engine to get there. Maybe that is a combination of softness and slowness, though. Whatever it is, he isn't Adam Goodes and so I think he needs to be used elsewhere if we are going to get any use out of him.

Goodes works in the role because he combines the strengths of a smaller player with the strengths of a bigger player - he is fast, great ball control and skills, he can get stuck in, but at the same time is one of the best marks in the comp, in a pack or on the lead. Right now I feel like Barlow is the anti-Goodes in a sense - he doesn't have the small-man qualities, the speed, the mongrel or the skills, and you would expect that from a guy that is almost 2m tall, but, and I think this is the big problem, in being forced into this role that doesn't suit him he doesn't really seem to play to his height, which is his real strength. He is basically as tall as Jesse White, but if you watched the two of them play you wouldn't know it. One is being used in a role that takes advantage of it, the other in a role where it seems like it is a major hindrance.

Right now we have a tall player with no specific instructions wandering around the field looking, in my opinion, understandably lost. What he needs is a specific job in the forward line or defence. He needs to be given time to develop in it. I think the best thing, considering the current make up of the squad, is to have him on the full-forward line as a foil for White. With Lewis Johnston's interupted season this year, the retirement of O'Loughlin and Hall quitting I think that makes the most sense.

I don't think he should be written off as a player, but I do think that unless he gets a clear, stable role in the team he isn't really going to develop.

 

[InformedOpinion]

No-one should have to pay a membership fee AND watch Barlow run around in your team jumper.

Runs in straight lines quite well - when not under pressure - but horribly exposed in so many critical areas it's not funny. Simply does not have what it takes to be a good AFL footballer.

That's ok, neither does over 99% of society.

Deal with it. Cut him and move towards a premiership.

 

[db swannie]

****ing hell you guys can be brutal sometimes...yes, he still hasn't developed any mongrel in his game, but it has been there sometimes. He hasn't played well for the last couple of weeks, but before that he was playing solid footy. For a team who's supporters consistently bemoan our lack of skill, Barlow has it in bucketloads. Of course he makes mistakes, but he's talented. Give him as long as he needs to get to where I think he can. He has a beautiful kick, and good penetration. I think comparisons between grundy and barlow can be made. Grundy had an eye-catching first game (like barlow), struggled for form after that (like barlow), when he made it back into the team he couldn't assert himself on the game and was played all over the shop (like barlow).....and yet finally he has found his role and is playing it magnificently. But before he settled I was very worried about him. Thought he had the talent, just needed to be persevered with. Like Grundy, Barlow is a confidence player. His confidence is up and down, and hence so is his form...duh! But when he's been up he's shown he has what it takes. Definitely give him another year, and just keep pushing him and trying to develop his defensive side. He's got the size, agility, and skills, he just needs to have a chat with grundy and he'll be right.

come on guys, lay off him a bit.

sorry Bega, but on the whole I disagree. yes, he has size, but to me he is very slow, especially gettting to a contest and then contesting. and as far as skills, yes, he has a good kick on him, but in terms of handpassing, tackling and receiving, he has been very poor at times. Difference for me between him and say Grundy, is that Grundy has a better sense of how to attack a contest, how to put his body on the line. Barlow still seems shy to commit...

Look, we'll see if they give him another season. If he gets another year we'll all know by the end of next season whether we're wrong for bagging him. They may hold onto him for insurance, and offload him as the contracted player to the GC, or he might turn it all around and prove people like me wrong. I hope he can.

 

[disgruntled goat]

barlow is completely useless ive been saying it all season and everyone wants to defend him lol. and please dont mention him in the same sentence as goodes....he doesnt deserve to be on the same field as him let alone be compared to him

Crap. "Completely useless" would describe me in an AFL team.
Barlow is NOT completely useless. He's certainly soft, but some of the comments here are going way overboard.

 

[disgruntled goat]

Should have seen me getting into Barlow on the w/e, Pies supporters told me to shut-up, but he doesn't go for the f**king ball, he keeps waiting for it to come to him and he needs to get rid of the ball sooner. But it is a learning experience and hopefully will work on a few things over the break.

"Should have seen me ..." making a fool of myself and embarrassing other Swans fans.

Geez mate, what a hero you must be. He's a footballer (and one of ours) not a criminal (or Adam Hunter).

 

[vonn]

FFS
i dont hate this guy but all these comments about useless GET A CLUE

his good enough to go ELITE which is more then what can be said about us.. its ****in pathetic how everyone is ripping into him.. just lay the **** off him.. i believe in him. no that was not a good game but negatives get brought up soooo much when we lose.

srsly.. shut the **** up it pisses me off.. his our player.. dont underestimate the courage required to do what kirk does.. or any footballer does.. its not somethin that happens overnight.. i can tell you that... i hope he doesnt read this because i know that if i did i would just feel absolutely gutted and would discourage me to even bother trying

 

[AG]

^

 

[Rhino5]

Does he "look a player"?

I don't really understand him. I don't think anyone really knows what position he should be playing, and unless he gets put somewhere and gets to stay therefor a while I don't think we will ever know that.

I think the Goodes comparisons have been incredibly unfair and unhelpful to him. It has resulted in him playing a Goodes-like role (which is basically a free marauding role through the centre and half forward lines), and it just hasn't worked.

I understand why some think he is too soft. I think the bigger problem is that is too slow - sometimes I watch him and there are balls that he should be getting to but he just doesn't have the engine to get there. Maybe that is a combination of softness and slowness, though. Whatever it is, he isn't Adam Goodes and so I think he needs to be used elsewhere if we are going to get any use out of him.

Goodes works in the role because he combines the strengths of a smaller player with the strengths of a bigger player - he is fast, great ball control and skills, he can get stuck in, but at the same time is one of the best marks in the comp, in a pack or on the lead. Right now I feel like Barlow is the anti-Goodes in a sense - he doesn't have the small-man qualities, the speed, the mongrel or the skills, and you would expect that from a guy that is almost 2m tall, but, and I think this is the big problem, in being forced into this role that doesn't suit him he doesn't really seem to play to his height, which is his real strength. He is basically as tall as Jesse White, but if you watched the two of them play you wouldn't know it. One is being used in a role that takes advantage of it, the other in a role where it seems like it is a major hindrance.

Right now we have a tall player with no specific instructions wandering around the field looking, in my opinion, understandably lost. What he needs is a specific job in the forward line or defence. He needs to be given time to develop in it. I think the best thing, considering the current make up of the squad, is to have him on the full-forward line as a foil for White. With Lewis Johnston's interupted season this year, the retirement of O'Loughlin and Hall quitting I think that makes the most sense.

I don't think he should be written off as a player, but I do think that unless he gets a clear, stable role in the team he isn't really going to develop.

Good post. I think there is a fair bit of truth in what you've said....I would say more, but I'm feeling lazy right now

 

[Hyphenator]

I cant wait till the big Cheesey proves everyone wrong. Cut him some slack it take the big fella's a bit longer to develop into good AFL players than it does mid fielders. He is a great kick and QUICK. The thing people misinterpret about him as that he is slow, he is not! He has a long gate when he runs which makes him look slow on tv. A great example of this was last weekend against Geelong, he and Shannon Burns were on the wing sprinting for a loose ball. Byrnes would burn most players off, Barlow kept up with him they reached the ball at the same time Byrnes fell forward Barlow fell in his back and gave away a free. That was a bad result but the endeavor was there and his speed was on show for all to see.

Yes he has to improve his attack on the ball and the man.
Yes he needs to settle in one position.
Yes he has skills, speed and all the attributes to turn into a quality AFL footballer.

He is unfairly targeted as everyones weekly whipping boy someone to bag to make us feel better about our own lives but i think it is unfair.
No they wont delist him in the next 2 years not a chance in hell

If you want to bag someone bag Luke Ablett he has payed 100 game and is still crap.

 

[MC Bad Genius]

I cant wait till the big Cheesey proves everyone wrong. Cut him some slack it take the big fella's a bit longer to develop into good AFL players than it does mid fielders. He is a great kick and QUICK. The thing people misinterpret about him as that he is slow, he is not! He has a long gate when he runs which makes him look slow on tv. A great example of this was last weekend against Geelong, he and Shannon Burns were on the wing sprinting for a loose ball. Byrnes would burn most players off, Barlow kept up with him they reached the ball at the same time Byrnes fell forward Barlow fell in his back and gave away a free. That was a bad result but the endeavor was there and his speed was on show for all to see.

Yes he has to improve his attack on the ball and the man.
Yes he needs to settle in one position.
Yes he has skills, speed and all the attributes to turn into a quality AFL footballer.

He is unfairly targeted as everyones weekly whipping boy someone to bag to make us feel better about our own lives but i think it is unfair.
No they wont delist him in the next 2 years not a chance in hell

If you want to bag someone bag Luke Ablett he has payed 100 game and is still crap.

How is it more fair to bag out Luke Ablett? Because he's had more of a chance? If you're happy for people to pay out on Ablett because he is playing poorly, you gotta be happy for people to pay ouy on Barlow for playing poorly.

With that being said, Luke Ablett is pretty bad ...

 

[BIGBEZ]

No-one should have to pay a membership fee AND watch Barlow run around in your team jumper.

Runs in straight lines quite well - when not under pressure - but horribly exposed in so many critical areas it's not funny. Simply does not have what it takes to be a good AFL footballer.

That's ok, neither does over 99% of society.

Deal with it. Cut him and move towards a premiership.

close your eyes then, that kind of support for our players wont be missed anyway

 

[BIGBEZ]

I cant wait till the big Cheesey proves everyone wrong. Cut him some slack it take the big fella's a bit longer to develop into good AFL players than it does mid fielders. He is a great kick and QUICK. The thing people misinterpret about him as that he is slow, he is not! He has a long gate when he runs which makes him look slow on tv. A great example of this was last weekend against Geelong, he and Shannon Burns were on the wing sprinting for a loose ball. Byrnes would burn most players off, Barlow kept up with him they reached the ball at the same time Byrnes fell forward Barlow fell in his back and gave away a free. That was a bad result but the endeavor was there and his speed was on show for all to see.

Yes he has to improve his attack on the ball and the man.
Yes he needs to settle in one position.
Yes he has skills, speed and all the attributes to turn into a quality AFL footballer.

He is unfairly targeted as everyones weekly whipping boy someone to bag to make us feel better about our own lives but i think it is unfair.
No they wont delist him in the next 2 years not a chance in hell

If you want to bag someone bag Luke Ablett he has payed 100 game and is still crap.

You dont get to play 100 games and in a premiership if your 'crap', that comment shows your footy knowledge mate..

 

[bungee]

You dont get to play 100 games and in a premiership if your 'crap', that comment shows your footy knowledge mate..

With you there Bez. Ablett's defensive pressure across half forward has been a big factor in recent games and was sorely missed on the weekend. He cops a lot of injuries because he throws his body in hard. His smashing into three cats players to cause a turnover the other week was a good example. He may not get the respect from some fans but he's held in high esteem by his coach and the players. 'Nuff said !

 

[bungee]

...... I think comparisons between grundy and barlow can be made.....he just needs to have a chat with grundy and he'll be right.

I think Grundy would advise him to .... 'Take two teaspoons of cement and harden the f&^*k up'

I agree that Reg used to be a bit of a softy but he's certainly turned that around. Reg's game improved immensely when he abandoned caution and started wanting the ball enough to fight over it. He's a different player since he got physical. He doesn't contest marks anymore, he rips the ball out of the air. He doesn't wait for the ball, he leaps on his opponent and tears it off them. He no longer uses his body as a shield but as a battering ram. I like very much the new tough Reg.

For me, Barlow needs to be less of a Brie and more of a Cheddar.

 

[BIGBEZ]

I think Grundy would advise him to .... 'Take two teaspoons of cement and harden the f&^*k up'

I agree that Reg used to be a bit of a softy but he's certainly turned that around. Reg's game improved immensely when he abandoned caution and started wanting the ball enough to fight over it. He's a different player since he got physical. He doesn't contest marks anymore, he rips the ball out of the air. He doesn't wait for the ball, he leaps on his opponent and tears it off them. He no longer uses his body as a shield but as a battering ram. I like very much the new tough Reg.

For me, Barlow needs to be less of a Brie and more of a Cheddar.

Im hoping for a bit of 'vintage cracker barrel'...

 

[bungee]

Unlike Luke Ablett, who doesn't let his poor decision making stop him from getting the ball and screwing it all up.

But at least he gets it. That's the difference, Ablett wants that ball so bloody badly he doesn't care how badly he gets hurt. You'd think he was a leather junkie in withdrawal.

...and to be fair, his recent games have been very good.

As an aside...Christmas at Granny Ablett's must be quite a scene with Gaz Jr and cousin Luke clawing each other over the last piece of turkey (until Gaz Snr miraculously plucks it from nowhere and punts it into Granpa's open mouth with a bicycle kick)