Every year he returns to the Goulburn Valley in Victoria to watch the Goulburn Valley Football League Grand Final.
But since winning a best and fairest with Shepparton United in the 2007 GVFL season as a 19-year-old, this will be the first time he doesn't go home.
"I'm usually there knocking around with a few of the boys and tipping a glass but I'll miss it this year," Barlow said.
"I'm a bit disappointed with that.
"But I couldn't be happier to get this chance. I look back every year I've been involved in the AFL system and before that star-gazing at AFL Grand Final day and what it brings and how exciting it is and how it galvanises a nation.
"And I've been really jealous of not being involved and now we're involved, so it's going to be a massive highlight."
Barlow is the mature-age poster boy, from Shepparton United to an AFL Grand Final with Fremantle via Werribee in the VFL.
It is a story that was dramatised even further by Barlow's horrific broken leg in 2010.
As he prepares for the biggest game of his life, Barlow reflected on the recovery process he went through.
"There were definitely parts of the rehab that were really mentally draining and mentally a struggle.
"But I had confidence in the sport science guys and the football club's process of my rehabilitation."
His recovery has been outstanding. In round 13, 2011 he played his first game since breaking his leg. Barlow missed the next three before returning again in round 17. He has played 54 out of 55 matches since.
But he has also got back to the ball winning best of his debut year.
In 2012 Barlow averaged 24 disposals and polled just one Brownlow vote.
In 2013 he has averaged 26 touches, kicked 14 goals, and he polled 14 votes on Monday night.
His best performance of the year came in the one of the biggest games of the season, best afield in the qualifying final when he gathered 32 touches and kicked three goals against Geelong at Simonds Stadium.
Barlow will take confidence from that performance ahead of the Grand Final but he is aware that the last Saturday in September is a different beast.
"Personally, and I'm not so sure about the rest of the group, I've been quite calm and relaxed in the preparation of the week.
"I think it will really start to come along maybe later in the week with the last training session and getting over to Melbourne because we're under no illusions it's going to be a different build up to what we're used to for any other games."
He may not get back to the Goulburn Valley on Sunday but they will come to him on Saturday at the MCG.
"Got the family sorted (with tickets) and a couple of close mates," Barlow said.
"They're going to be there in droves, which is going to be really pleasing for me."
