Central District player Luke Barmby retires after 130 games with the Dogs
WHEN Central District defender Luke Barmby this year surpassed a club great to become the Bulldogs’ games record holder in the number 44 guernsey, he was quick to let him know.
WHEN Central District defender Luke Barmby this year surpassed a club great to become the Bulldogs’ games record holder in the number 44 guernsey, he was quick to let him know.
Barmby, who has decided to hang up the boots after 130 matches, says moving ahead of John Platten’s 113-game tally in round two this year is something he will cherish in retirement.
“I’ve let Platts know about it every time I’ve seen him since,” Barmby says of the Magarey and Brownlow medallist who is now a Central assistant.
“He says I should wear 22 because I’m only half as good – so not too bad from ‘the Rat’ either.
“(Bulldogs chief executive) Kris Grant gave that (number) to me when I started in the twos ... so I’ve always held on to it.”
Barmby, 30, announced his retirement at the club’s best and fairest earlier this month.
“I sort of earmarked it a couple of years ago that I would stop after 30, playing 100 games and reaching playing life membership,” he says.
“It was more about just doing stuff outside of footy because footy consumes a lot of time.
“This year the enjoyment level this year probably wasn’t as high as previous years.
“You’ve got to do a lot of extras to get yourself to play league footy and I’m not sure if I had another year of that in me.”
Barmby considers the 2011 grand final loss to Woodville-West Torrens as the biggest disappointment in his career.
He also suffered heartbreak in missing the Bulldogs’ 2010 flag win after being struck down with pneumonia before the finals and was an emergency for the decider.
Known around the club as “Milky” due to his light complexion and “Yabby” because of his lippiness, Barmby says leaving the Dogs is tough.
“It’s really a second home when you train as much as you do, so it will be a bit sad,” he says.
“I’ll still go to as many games as I can and look to probably look to develop my coaching, and hopefully contribute to the club in some capacity down the track.”
Barmby says he will be playing somewhere in either amateur or country footy next season.