John Barker (born 19 February 1975) is a former professional
Australian rules football
Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...
er who played for the
Fitzroy Football Club
The Fitzroy Football Club is an Australian rules football club currently competing in the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA). Formed in 1883 to represent the inner-Melbourne municipality of Fitzroy, the club was a member of the Vi ...
,
Brisbane Lions
The Brisbane Lions is a professional Australian rules football club based in Brisbane, Queensland, that plays in the Australian Football League (AFL).
The club was formed in late 1996 via a merger of the Melbourne-based 1883 foundation VFL c ...
and
Hawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Mulgrave, Victoria, that competes in the Australian Football League (AFL). The club was founded in 1902 in the inner-east suburb of Hawt ...
in the
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League (AFL) is the only fully professional competition of Australian rules football. Through the AFL Commission, the AFL also serves as the sport's governing body and is responsible for controlling the laws of the gam ...
(AFL).
Early life
John Barker was born on 19 February 1975. Barker played junior football for Pascoe Vale in the
Essendon District Football League
The Essendon District Football League (EDFL) is a professional Australian rules football league competition based in Essendon, Victoria, consisting of teams based in the north-west suburbs of Melbourne. Founded in 1930, the men's competition c ...
. Here Barker played in the 1991 Under 16 premiership winning team. In 1992 Barker played for the
Northern Knights
The Northern Knights is an Australian rules football club playing in the NAB League, the top statewide under-18 competition in Victoria, Australia. They are based in Preston, representing the northern suburban area of Melbourne.
The Knights a ...
in the first season of the
VSFL under 18 competition. Barker also represented Vic Metro (Metropolitan Victoria) in the
Teal Cup
The AFL Under-19 Championships (for sponsorship reasons, the NAB AFL Under-19 Championships) is an annual Australian national underage representative championship in Australian rules football tournament. It is seen as one of the main pathways ...
and was named at centre half forward for the Victorian Under 18 All-Star team. Barkers' form at Under 18 level attracted plenty of interest from AFL club scouts. In the
1992 AFL Draft John Barker was selected at pick 25 by the
Fitzroy Football Club
The Fitzroy Football Club is an Australian rules football club currently competing in the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA). Formed in 1883 to represent the inner-Melbourne municipality of Fitzroy, the club was a member of the Vi ...
.
AFL playing career
Fitzroy
Barker did not play a senior game for
Fitzroy Fitzroy or FitzRoy may refer to:
People As a given name
*Several members of the Somerset family (Dukes of Beaufort) have this as a middle-name:
**FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan (1788–1855)
** Henry Charles FitzRoy Somerset, 8th Duke of Beau ...
in 1993 and missed most of the season due to back and hamstring injuries. Barker's first senior game in the
AFL
AFL may refer to:
Sports
* American Football League (AFL), a name shared by several separate and unrelated professional American football leagues:
** American Football League (1926) (a.k.a. "AFL I"), first rival of the National Football Leagu ...
was in round 2 of the
1994 season against
Essendon Essendon may refer to:
Australia
*Electoral district of Essendon
*Electoral district of Essendon and Flemington
* Essendon, Victoria
**Essendon railway station
**Essendon Airport
* Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League
United Ki ...
at
Princes Park. Barker played 47 games and kicked 12 goals at Fitzroy over his 3 seasons at the club. During the 1994 AFL season Barker's talent was noticed and as a result he picked up an
AFL Rising Star
The AFL Rising Star is an Australian rules football award presented annually to the player adjudged the best young player in the Australian Football League (AFL) for the year. It was first presented in the 1993 season, and was won by Nathan Buc ...
award nomination. When Fitzroy merged with the
Brisbane Bears
The Brisbane Football Club, nicknamed the Bears, was a professional Australian rules football club based in Queensland on the Gold Coast (relocated to Brisbane in 1993). The club participated in the Victorian/Australian Football League (VFL/ ...
at the end of 1996 to become
Brisbane Lions
The Brisbane Lions is a professional Australian rules football club based in Brisbane, Queensland, that plays in the Australian Football League (AFL).
The club was formed in late 1996 via a merger of the Melbourne-based 1883 foundation VFL c ...
, Barker was one of eight Fitzroy players to join the newly formed team.
Brisbane Lions
In Barker's only year at the Brisbane Lions, the
1997 season, he managed just 8 games and only 1 goal. At the end of the season Barker and teammate
Nathan Chapman were traded to
Hawthorn
Hawthorn or Hawthorns may refer to:
Plants
* '' Crataegus'' (hawthorn), a large genus of shrubs and trees in the family Rosaceae
* ''Rhaphiolepis'' (hawthorn), a genus of about 15 species of evergreen shrubs and small trees in the family Rosace ...
in exchange for
Brad Scott.
Hawthorn
After two seasons at Hawthorn Barker's AFL career looked over, but in round 3 of the
2000 AFL season, John Barker made his mark as an AFL footballer. Barker kicked 4 goals and took some clean one-grab marks to help the hawks come from behind to beat the Brisbane Lions in a thriller (Hawthorn 16 14 110 def. Brisbane Lions 15 13 103).
Barker's time at Hawthorn saw him become the key option up forward during the 2000, '01 and '02 seasons.
John Barker may best be remembered for his remarkable two goals during the 2001 semi final against Port Adelaide. One from Football Parks "dead pocket" which put the hawks within four points. Then the next with only two minutes remaining, the goal which will long live in the minds of Hawks fans for years to come. Barker was a key part of the Hawks' 2001 season which saw them make their way to a preliminary final. Barker won the club's goal kicking award in 2001 with 47 goals and was equal 3rd in the Best and Fairest.
From mid-2002 Barker suffered numerous injuries and struggled to get back to top form. From this point he played most of his football recovering from injuries and proving his fitness with the
Box Hill Hawks(Hawthorn Reserves) in an attempt to play at senior level again.
2006 would be John Barkers final year as an AFL footballer and he could just manage 7 games due to on-going shoulder and hamstring injuries. In the week leading up to round 20 of the '06 season Barker announced his retirement, saying his body could no longer stand up to AFL football. In the lead up to the final game of the season several Hawthorn players offered to give up their spot in the side to see that Barker could play a farewell game. Barker kicked 1 goal in the 61 point win against Geelong.
AFL coaching career
St Kilda Football Club
After Barker announced his retirement, Hawthorn senior coach
Alastair Clarkson
Alastair Thomas Clarkson (born 27 April 1968) is an Australian rules football coach and former player who is currently the head coach of the North Melbourne Football Club. He was previously the head coach of the Hawthorn Football Club in the ...
said the club was keen to retain Barker for 2007, possibly in a coaching role. Just weeks later, Barker was appointed as assistant coach in the position of the forward line coach for the
St Kilda Football Club
The St Kilda Football Club, nicknamed the Saints, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Victoria. The club plays in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's premier league.
The club ...
on a two-year deal under St. Kilda senior coach
Ross Lyon
Ross Lyon (born 8 November 1966) is a former Australian rules football player and the senior coach of the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He previously coached St Kilda from 2007 to 2011 and the Fremantle Footbal ...
who had played together with Barker at Fitzroy and Lyon believed Barker had a lot to offer as a coach. Barker served as assistant coach of St Kilda in the
2007 season and
2008 season.
Hawthorn Football Club
After two years at St. Kilda, Barker was then offered an assistant coaching role at
Hawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Mulgrave, Victoria, that competes in the Australian Football League (AFL). The club was founded in 1902 in the inner-east suburb of Hawt ...
and jumped at the chance to return to the club he called home for nine years as a player. Barker was the assistant coach in the position of forward line coach at Hawthorn under senior coach Alastair Clarkson for the
2009 season and
2010 season.
Carlton Football Club
Barker went to be an assistant coach at the
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club, nicknamed the Blues, is a professional Australian rules football club that competes in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's top professional competition.
Founded in 1864 in Carlton, an inner suburb of Mel ...
since the
2011 season. On 26 May 2015, following the mid-season sacking of
Mick Malthouse
Michael Raymond Malthouse (born 17 August 1953) is a former Australian rules footballer, who played for the St Kilda Football Club and Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
After finishing his playing career, Malthou ...
as senior coach of Carlton, Barker was appointed caretaker senior coach of the Carlton Football Club until the end of the
2015 season. He coached the club to three wins from the final fourteen matches, and was one of the front-runners for the senior coaching role before it eventually went to
Brendon Bolton
Brendon Bolton (born 18 April 1979) is an Australian rules football coach who is currently serving as the director of coaching with the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League. Bolton previously was the head coach of the ...
. Barker, however still remained at the Carlton Football Club as an assistant coach in the position of stoppages coach.
Barker departed the Carlton Football Club in the middle of the
2021 season, amid an external review the club had decided to undertake, to improve its on-field results. Fellow Carlton Football Club assistant coach
Luke Power
Luke Power (born 8 January 1980) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Brisbane Lions and Greater Western Sydney Giants in the Australian Football League (AFL). A member of the Brisbane Lions's 2001, 2002, and 2003 premiers ...
who was serving in the assistant coaching position of Head of Development, then replaced Barker in the role of the assistant coaching position of stoppages coach, therefore Power was promoted to a higher assistant coaching position within the Carlton Football Club.
Notes
External links
John Barker Coach Profileon the official St Kilda Football Club website
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barker, John
1975 births
Box Hill Football Club players
Brisbane Lions players
Fitzroy Football Club players
Hawthorn Football Club players
Northern Knights players
Carlton Football Club coaches
Australian rules footballers from Victoria (Australia)
Living people