Michael Barlow ready for Hampden league debut with North Warrnambool Eagles

The former AFL midfielder is excited to see the changes first-hand when he lines up for North Warrnambool Eagles in the Hampden league on Saturday.

"I think it's probably advanced a little bit in game plans and structures and even having a small amount to do with North Warrnambool over the summer with Adam Dowie and their leadership group, they are pretty well regimented compared to what was the norm back when I played at Shepp United in 2006-07," Barlow told The Standard.

"I probably expected a higher level of professionalism and football knowledge."

Barlow, whose VFL side Werribee has a bye, chose the Eagles as his feeder club because of family connections.

Brother Herb is a former senior player at the club while another brother, Dom, also lives in Warrnambool.

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Barlow, 31, played in the Goulburn Valley league before embarking on a VFL stint which ultimately led to a 141-game AFL journey with Fremantle and Gold Coast.

He collected 35 disposals in his final game for the Suns in round 23 last year and re-joined Werribee - the club which launched his career - this season on a two-year deal. Barlow has had an interupted start to the 2019 season and said North Warrnambool was the perfect place to help build his continuity.

"I know I haven't got a lot of football left and having missed a lot of football over the journey as well, I am pretty keen to play as much as I can," he said.

"I missed four weeks in the VFL this year with a broken jaw so I am relatively fresh.

"Before I came down to play for Werribee, I made a decision that in my byes, whether it be one or two games for the year, I'd look to play a game at local level because funnily enough when you're playing at AFL level, that is something you do miss."

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Barlow expects to play "70 or 80 per cent" game time for the top-placed Eagles against Hamilton Kangaroos at Bushfield Recreation Reserve.

He said he wanted to build form to take back to Werribee, which is aiming for a finals berth under first-year coach and Port Adelaide premiership mentor Mark Williams.

"We're going quite well, we're 5-3 and fifth on the ladder so we're in a pretty good position," Barlow said.

"I've played four games and I have gone OK without setting the world on fire. It is a slow build for me and this will all be a part of that, getting another game in."

Barlow said he was unsure if his long-term football future included a full season at country level.

"I am looking to either go down the coaching route at state league or AFL level and I have media interest in some stuff that is really gaining momentum at the moment as well," he said.

"I have signed a two-year contract with Werribee and I came out of the AFL thinking 'I want that two-year period to investigate what I want to do'."

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