Barker’s return gives Hobart welcome bite

HOBART will be lifted by the addition of a homegrown, bigbodied centre for tonight’s SEABL blockbuster against Ballarat at the DEC.

The Mercury can reveal 21year-old Callum Barker has returned to Tasmania after the end of his third year in the American college system and will suit up for the Chargers for the first time since 2015 after being registered yesterday.

At 205cm and 106kg, Barker can provide some muchneeded interior size for the home side, as well as giving Zac White some assistance guarding the opposition post players.

Barker has spent three years with NCAA Division 1 college side Bradley Braves. He was one of just three players to feature in all 32 games in his freshman season — starting in 26 — and averaging 5.1 points and 4.5 rebounds in 22.6 minutes.

In his sophomore campaign Barker featured in just 27 games and had his minutes slashed to 8.6, and after being relegated to a little used reserve in his junior year he decided to leave the Braves program.

“We are desperate to include someone of that stature back in the Chargers’ uniform,” said coach Anthony Stewart, who worked out with Barker yesterday morning.

“It would be huge for the club, a young boy who has gone through the junior ranks and obviously there are not many 6ft 9in guys walking around the streets.”

After splitting last week’s matches against Mt Gambier and Nunawading, the Chargers (6-3) come up against a Miners side (6-1) that is one of three to have lost only one match for the season. With a return bout against Nunawading (7-1) next week, Stewart is desperate for his side to prove it deserves to be in the upper echelon of clubs heading into the bye for the Queen’s Birthday weekend.

“They have only lost one game and they are not only just beating teams but beating them comfortably,” Stewart said of Ballarat, which is armed with star guard Peter Hooley.

“They finished on top of the conference last year and look like going top two, top three this year.”