Trust. A founding principal of team sport. An absolute pre-requisite for success at the elite level.
When teammates glance towards Tom Barrass they see the personification of that trait. A key defender in whom they can hold unwavering faith.
He will invariably make the right decision. He will mark when in position to do so, spoil with great authority when that is the appropriate action. He doesn’t get it right 100 percent of the time, but it’s pretty close. About as close to the mark as his Year 12 ATAR score which was above 98.
After a season when continuity and consistency were a challenge across the West Coast Eagles squad Barrass’ performances stood out like a beacon. Two wins, 17th on the ladder and the intercept specialist was included in the 40-man all-Australian squad.
There was a strong argument to suggest he should have made the team. Other contenders, ultimately rewarded with a position, played in better performed teams but individually did not compare.
And at the Club Champion presentation the unflappable defender’s performances during a testing season were rewarded when he won the John Worsfold Medal in a landslide.
Polling particularly strongly in the second half of the year Barrass topped the count with 182 votes to win by 33 votes from veteran defender Shannon Hurn (149), classy midfielder Tim Kelly (131), key forward Jack Darling (120) and another defender Liam Duggan (118) in fifth place.
Barrass followed a strong trend of key defenders figuring prominently in the ‘Woosha’ tracing the footsteps of Glen Jakovich (1993, 1994, 1995, 2000), Ashley McIntosh (1998), Darren Glass (2007, 2009, 2011) and Eric Mackenzie (2014).
The rich run of form enjoyed by Barrass was demonstrated after the mid-season bye at round 13 when he earned the maximum 15 votes five times and was just one vote shy of the ceiling in two other games. That meant that he polled more than 50 percent of his votes in those seven games.
He and Hurn both played 19 games during the interrupted season while Kelly played just 17 games, Darling played in 21 and Duggan featured in 20 matches.
Eloquent and considered, Barrass delivered a typical humble appraisal of his season.
“It is an incredible honour to even be mentioned with John Worsfold,” Barrass said. “I cannot be more grateful for all the support I have received throughout my career from the playing group, to my family, to the coaches, to the footy club. I am merely a representation of their hard work.
“Shannon Hurn has taught me to be the best that I can be. To be the best type of Tom Barrass I can be and it’s something he does really well. It will be his legacy when he eventually leaves the footy club, to get the best out of yourself.
“I love playing in the backline and always will. I enjoy working with those guys back there because you have to. It can be a tough at times which is all the more reason why you need each other, to support each other and stay united.
“It has been a disappointing year. I have been a bit more involved than I would have liked but we started to see evidence in our system towards the back end of the season.
“(We need) to build on that and to be a really competitive top eight side is the plan going forward.
“I think I improved this year. Given the state of the club and the challenges we faced throughout the year, I was called upon to do more than I had traditionally and that stretching improved me as a player.
“As tough as it had been, there were some benefits.
“Eric Mackenzie was the best key defender going around when I first got to the club and he had a fairly central role in my development. It is such an honour to be mentioned among these names (other club champion winners.)”
While Barrass played with aplomb and poise in the back half – particularly with fellow intercept star Jeremy McGovern missing a large chunk of the season – one of the personal highlights was his first goal in senior football.
He trained for periods during the pre-season in the forward line and played part of the practice games in attack. He got the opportunity in the opening match of the season – his 100th at senior level – against Gold Coast and nailed a set shot to break his goal-kicking duck.
Had McGovern been available more often, as well as other defensive mainstays, Barrass may well have been cast forward in some games.
Ultimately, though, he’s a defender at heart.
“It’s another thing to be a part of the backline,” he said. “It’s something that has been made so important to me by Shannon who always does such a great. He has been a massive part along with Gov, Schoey (Will Schofield), Easy (Mackenzie) and Glassy.
“All the lessons that I have learnt, all of the corrections I have had to make to exist in the environment, to thrive in the environment. I want to thank the backline and I want to thank the playing group because they’re the reason I play.”
