Tara Murray
Michael Barlow’s passion for the Werribee Football Club to succeed has seen the club re-sign him for another two Victorian Football League seasons.
Werribee announced on Tuesday night that they had signed Barlow as coach until at least the end of the 2024 season.
Barlow took over as senior coach in the middle of the 2021 pre-season, when former coach Mark Williams returning to the AFL system.
He had been a playing assistant coach for the 2019 season and was set to continue that role in 2020 before the season was cancelled due to COVID-19.
It was also at Werribee where Barlow made his mark playing, which resulted in him before being drafted by Fremantle in 2010.
Barlow said it was an easy decision for him to re-sign with Werribee. He had previously said the club had a special place in his heart and had been keen to return after his AFL playing days were over.
“I have a huge admiration for the players, staff and volunteers within our club and their commitment to the program,” he said.
“My connection to this club and league is significant and I’m excited for that to continue. To have recommitted for a further two years, I appreciate the vote of confidence shown in me from the Werribee board, chief executive Mark Penaluna, football manager Mark Micallef, and most importantly my playing group led by our captains Tom Gribble and Dom Brew.
“My immediate focus is the next two months of the 2022 season and preparing our group as best we can for the last four games of the home and away season.
“We will stay in the moment and look to further build on our strong football program.”
Werribee president Martin Carter spoke highly of Barlow and the work that he had done at the club so far.
“Michael has a clear passion to continue to lead our club and what he has achieved at the helm this year, in his first full season is outstanding,” he said.
“With Michael’s football intelligence, his relationship building skills, and his ability to develop an extremely competitive, united team, undisputed we look forward to finishing the 2022 season on a high.”
Werribee currently sits eighth on the ladder, with an 8-6 win-loss record in Barlow’s first full season as coach after a COVID-19 interrupted 2021.
They have a bye this week.
