Barlow has not put a foot wrong since debuting for Fremantle in round one this year, averaging 28 disposals a game.
The 22-year-old was recruited from VFL club Werribee and Tigers football manager Stuart Balloch said there could be more hidden gems within the club’s ranks.
He said youngsters Flinn Chisholm and Steve Kennedy were likely to come under notice from AFL recruiters while injury-ridden former Hawthorn forward Mitch Thorp couldn’t be ignored.
“He started off with a bit of an injury that he brought with him from the Hawks. He is certainly providing that little bit of experience to our forward line. Anyone who has gone through the system picks up a bit over the years,” Balloch said.
Barlow and Geelong’s James Podsiadly are the two heart-warming stories of 2010, with both coming through VFL ranks to be rookie-listed as mature-aged players.
Other mature-aged players such as 27-year-old North Ballarat ruckman Orren Stephenson are sure to be looked at when recruiters try to salvage what is left of a draft that will be affected by concession picks to Gold Coast.
Stephenson has taken on and beaten several experienced ruckmen, including former Bulldog and now Hawk Wayde Skipper.
North Ballarat coach Gerard Fitzgerald said while Stephenson may be mature-aged, his body had suffered little wear and tear because of a late introduction to football.
“The thing that I keep saying about Orren is he had very little footy prior to his 21st year, and his mobility for his size is his great asset,” Fitzgerald said.
“He is a modern day tall AFL ruckman because of his ability to cover the ground. He is genuinely tall enough and he is winning in excess of 30 hit-outs a game in the VFL.”
VFL football operations manager John Hook said the league provided a perfect breeding ground for mature-aged recruits as it pitted them against AFL-listed players.
“If you’ve got a bloke like Barlow who is consistently getting 30-plus possessions in a VFL midfield, primarily his opponents are AFL-listed players and that is another indicator. He is competing against players who are already on lists so he is coming up against better players,” he said.
Hook said Podsiadly’s rapid rise to stardom was proof that some players only needed a tiny window of opportunity to fulfil their potential.
“I’m sure they would have selected him as insurance originally in case one of their big fellas fell over. He’s been given an opportunity and he’s made the most of it,” he said.
“Podsiadly is playing because he got an opportunity through the mature-aged rookie rule change. If that rule hadn’t have come in, Podsiadly would still be running around in Geelong’s VFL team.”
VFL PLAYERS TO WATCH
Ashley Arrowsmith, Northern Bullants - Spent time on West Coast’s rookie list but has done everything right for the Bullants to kick off his VFL career, kicking 11 goals in the first four games.
Flinn Chisholm, Werribee: pacy midfielder who can win his own ball and has good leadership qualities. Can find the goals, too.
Michael Hibberd, Frankston: a 20-year-old midfielder who can get plenty of the football. Good height at 187cm. Disposal isn’t his strength, but he has good athleticism.
Steve Kennedy, Werribee: came close to an AFL rookie list spot after doing the 2009 pre-season with the Bulldogs but was overlooked. Extremely fit midfielder who can rack up plenty of disposals. Originally from the Western Jets.
Cameron Pederson, Box Hill: can play any position on the ground and has been consistently one of the best for Box Hill over the past couple of years. Aged 23, at 191cm he is a good contested mark.
Kris Pendlebury, Collingwood: much like his younger brother Scott, Pendlebury knows how to win the ball and find plenty of space. Has had an interrupted start to 2010 but has been rewarded for form over the past couple of years.
Myles Sewell, North Ballarat: aged 22, brother of Brad, won the JJ Liston Trophy last year and is a dual premiership midfielder. Has a great tank but not the body strength of his brother.
Orren Stephenson, North Ballarat: at 27, he started late after playing basketball as a junior. Has represented the VFL team against the WAFL and played in two premierships for North Ballarat. An ideal fit for a team like Hawthorn, who may be looking for a ready-made ruckman.
Trent Shinners, Bendigo Bombers: a 192cm key back in the Alex Silvagni mould, he knows how to take a grab as well as provide dash out of the back half.
Mitchell Thorp, Werribee: former first-round draft pick Hawk who has shaken off his injury concerns to become a key player for Werribee.
Anton Woods, Northern Bullants: aged 19, a short rover in David Rodan mould, he won the Morrish Medal in 2009 and played in a couple of Carlton intra-club matches where he did not look out of place.
