Michael Barlow’s career at crossroads after Gold Coast Suns departure

[Ulquiorra]

IF this is the end of Michael Barlow’s AFL career, then he went out in similar fashion to the way he came in.

That is: Winning a heck of a lot of the football.

Barlow’s two-year stint at the Gold Coast Suns appears over after the 30-year-old this afternoon sent out a tweet simply saying:

https://twitter.com/mjbarlow20/statu...09880402726912
It comes just three days after racked up a typically prolific 35 disposals and laid five tackles in the Suns’ 102-point drubbing at the hands of Geelong.

Barlow’s career, of course, began in a blaze of glory at Fremantle, with the midfielder amassing 33 touches and booting two goals in debut against Adelaide in the opening round of 2010.

It was the start of a fine 126-game career at the Dockers, where he was named the AFLPA’s best first-year player in his debut season as a mature-aged 22-year-old.

Barlow would go on to win two Glendinning Medals for best afield in derbies as he carved out a reputation as a no-fuss ball-winner in Fremantle’s engine room.

After finding a second home at Gold Coast on departure from Freo at the end of 2016, Barlow was one of the Suns’ best players in the first half of last year until a horror leg break against Carlton.

Despite producing huge numbers in the NEAFL this season, Barlow could only manage three senior appearances for the struggling Suns, culminating in his impressive ending against the Cats on Saturday.

It remains to be seen whether the veteran can earn another senior opportunity elsewhere. But if this is the end, Barlow’s career average of 25.2 disposals per game across 141 outings underlines just how effective he was as a ball-winner across nearly a decade.

Barlow’s exit came amid a number of de-listings across the league as the off-season starts for the non-finals clubs, with North Melbourne’s Billy Hartung and Port’s Jimmy Toumpas among the casualties.