EFL 2019: Injuries force champion Balwyn forward Luke Barker into retirement

Ongoing injuries have forced three-time Balwyn premiership star Luke Barker into retirement on the eve of the Eastern Football League season.

Luke Barker celebrates a goal during the 2012 grand final. Picture: Hamish Blair

Ongoing injuries have forced three-time Balwyn premiership star Luke Barker into retirement on the eve of the Eastern Football League season.

Barker has been limited in recent years since snapping his achilles against Knox in Round 3, 2016.

The champion forward has made just 11 appearances since that game, playing the first seven rounds last season before suffering a setback with his achilles.

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The 32-year-old confirmed to the playing group last week he would be hanging up the boots.

“It’s been an ongoing battle to try get back to the level of fitness and what I wanted to do at first division level,” Barker said.

“We put in everything we could this pre-season, did a lot of things differently, spent a lot of time and energy in a whole bunch of different areas and just that last little push towards getting back playing high-intensity practice games, the foot just started to flare up again.

“I needed a few weeks rest and I can’t fight injury anymore.”

Barker was one of the star players in Balwyn’s run of four premierships in five years between 2012 and 2016.

He arrived at Cherry Rd from Croydon for the start of the 2011 season and proceeded to kick 350 goals, forming a potent partnership with Jeff Gobbels.

Luke Barker fights for the ball in Round 1 last year. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Barker played 100 games at Balwyn and featured in the 2012, 2013 and 2015 flags.

He was also an Eastern league representative three times, received Vic Metro honours and was a dual Team of the Year member (2008 and 2014).

He also kicked 213 goals at Croydon in 61 games and made two senior VFL appearances for Box Hill Hawks in 2007.

But Barker left the door ajar to play on at a lower division club in 2019.

“It’s pretty unlikely that’s going to happen. I just need some time away from footy to enjoy not being injured all the time,” he said.

“If I was to play footy again this year, which is certainly something I haven’t decided or thought about too much just yet, it would certainly be at a lower intensity level because the body can’t keep up with the demands of first division footy.

“I’d like to potentially keep playing — or just to be able to have a bit of fun and enjoy my footy while I’m at the very, very end of my career.”

A regular sight in the EFL: Luke Barker lining up for goal.

Barker said he would depart the club with lifelong memories.

“Obviously the most important thing about my time at Balwyn was the three flags I got to play in,” he said.

“The three flags is the thing I hold the highest but probably even higher than that is the friendships that I’ve made. Three of the boys from Balwyn were in my wedding party (Gobbels, Jarrad Wright and Blake Broadhurst) and I’ve made multiple very, very close friends.

“Given I did play at Croydon early in my senior career, I certainly am a Balwyn person.”

Balwyn football director Paul Johnson said Barker’s professionalism would leave a lasting impact at the club.

Luke Barker lays a tackle for Croydon during his time at the Blues.

“He showed the boys in his whole preparation and his dedication to his football was second to none,” Johnson said.

“(Coach) Rodney Eade spoke about that last week — he said his preparation was as good as any AFL player. He would be at the physio a couple of times a week, he’d be at the gym every night … he was all about the professionalism of the sport and that was one of the things he brought to our club.”

The club said in its newsletter: “Luke has been an integral part of the club since joining us in 2011, however as much as the spirit and mind is willing, the body is finding it a struggle to continue to come up ready to play at this level each week. We will all have very special memories of Luke and his performances in the yellow and black, especially those when he just pulled out that little something extra to get us up in crucial games.”

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