Southern Districts have lost one of their best players with Ed Barlow focusing on off-field work

SOUTHERN Districts utility Ed Barlow has played his last game of Territory football

Southern Districts utility Ed Barlow has called an end to his Premier League career.

SOUTHERN Districts utility Ed Barlow has played his last game of Territory football.

The former Sydney and Western Bulldogs footballer slipped quietly into retirement after the Crocodiles were eliminated from the finals race by Nightcliff.

Now 33, Barlow played 48 games in the red, black and white Districts jumper.

Included in that list is the club’s fourth premiership in 2017-18 when the Crocodiles beat the Darwin Buffaloes by a single point in a rare Wednesday night decider.

Five seasons after he first kicked a football in Districts colours, Barlow has surrendered the Sherrin in favour of his psychologist profession.

“I called Shannon (coach Shannon Rusca) after a teammate at VFL club Richmond told me about Districts,’’ Barlow said..

“I never looked back after my first game. I fell in love with the NT game, the way it’s played and its people.

“More importantly, the Districts footy club became my home, something I’d lost along the journey, especially after my AFL days.’’

Barlow’s employment has taken him to local firm First Step, who work toward re-engaging youth in education and employment.

Nowadays he has his own practice at East Arm where he has continued to deal with young people, the Territory Thunder Academy program and Rusca Developments with former Darwin Buffalo and Palmerston superstar Jason Jones.

The Territory style of game still fascinates Barlow with its emphasis on leg speed, evasiveness and hand and foot skills.

“People hear about the game up here being free flowing and think it’s all played on the outside,’’ he said.

“But there’s also the contested element to it.

“So it’s hard to define how it’s different, maybe the heat and the need for peak fitness has a lot to do with it.

“The teams that go well play with that defensive element, though there is a lot of offensive footy played.’’

Barlow has tipped St Mary’s to win their 33rd Premier League in Saturday’s grand final.

“I work very closely with Jack Long and Raphael Clarke and I want them to go out on a high,’’ he said.

“Nightcliff is a very good side, but St Mary’s have knocked them off twice through the season.’’