Forty-three disposals and two goals in Fremantle’s win against Port Adelaide on Saturday may seem like a far cry from the position Michael Barlow was in a little over a month ago.
Barlow was omitted ahead of Freo’s round eight clash with Hawthorn and spent two weeks in the WAFL, but the midfielder said the change allowed him to refocus and work on his influence around the club.
“Going back to play WAFL, I made it a focus to maintain all the characteristics that have got me to where I’m at in my career,” Barlow said.
“I stripped back my focuses on what’s required of me and really simplified how I go into the game.
Game breaker: Busy Barlow stars against Port
“(My goal was to) keep my head up and be a positive influence on the group and take pride in my performance.”
While Barlow admitted he wasn’t playing his best football early this year, he said steady form and a strong relationship with senior coach Ross Lyon had allowed him to build toward the on-field heights he’s achieving at the moment.
“A lot people have said I’ve turned the form around but I think outside of the first month of the season, I’ve been pretty steady,” he said.
“Ross (Lyon) and I have a really good relationship, (and) we had a differing of opinion of how I was going and what was required of me.
Barlow praises "future of the club"
“We always challenge each other and that’s why it’s such a comfortable environment for us. We’re privy to being a bit awkward, anxious and nervous at times but we (as a club) really embrace that (honesty).”
While recent performances have seen Barlow successfully limit the impact of players such as David Zaharakis, Daniel Rich and Robbie Gray, the newly found tagger said he wasn’t comfortable, and that self-assessment was a regular part of life as a footballer.
“I’m still doubting myself now,” he admitted.
“There’s no perfect science to being an AFL footballer and I’d be lying if I said you don’t think about where you stand, but I’ve stripped it all back and I know I’ve got plenty of AFL football left in me.”
