BARNES’ BID FOR UNION’S TOP JOB
EX-GEELONG ruckman and self-described knockabout bloke John Barnes is vying for a plum union position months after revealing his battle with debilitating epilepsy and blackouts.
Barnes, who now picks up garbage for a suburban Melbourne council, wore Geelong’s No.6 guernsey for 144 games between 1992-99.
Barnes played in two premiership-losing Geelong sides with greats such as Gary Ablett Sr and eventually became a coach before leaving football altogether.
He said joined the union after being pushed around at work during his first few months collecting rubbish.
Barnes is now running against other opponents in a bid to become president of Victoria’s Australian Services Union branch.
This despite going public with suspected chronic traumatic encephalopathy which he claims was caused by concussions sustained during his playing days.
In 2018, wife Rowena told News Corp that Barnes was prone to sudden, violent seizures, causing him to drop to the ground and start convulsing, frothing at the mouth and making choking sounds.
She said the former star became so enraged, he threatened one of their sons in “a spasm of violence” that terrified the whole family.
But Barnes said yesterday while he was battling with his health every day he had not had a seizure in six months.
“I’m leading the class action against concussion with the AFL. I’m not afraid to speak up and get my hands dirty with that and it probably takes some balls to do that,” Barnes said.
“I find this (running for president) exactly the same — I’m going to be taking on some challenges, I’m looking forward to that and it’s not going to test me too much.”
Barnes said his health, which remains a daily battle, was a motivator for him to fight for his colleagues and what he believes in.
“It teaches me to live with something I can’t control,” Barnes said. “It’s a hurdle in my way which I face and I have to jump every hurdle that comes my way and at the moment the ASU is at a hurdle and I have to jump that.”
But Barnes said the ASU was far from the biggest challenge in his life.
“It’s obviously staying alive, to be honest — that’s probably the biggest (challenge) I’ve got … at home or in the swimming pool or in the ocean I can drown or anything like that,” Barnes said.
Barnes — who vowed to lead with honesty and purpose — said he would stand up for his members, including the 1100 who live in Geelong.
“If anyone asks any questions there is going to be no BS told, it’s going to be straight down the line,” Barnes said.
“A lot of people haven’t got a voice … I don’t mind speaking out, I don’t mind being the loud one and I don’t mind putting my neck on the chopping block.”
Barnes said he would be “boisterous, loud and honest” — qualities he hope will endear himself to Geelong union members.
Barnes said he would take inspiration from Joel Selwood’s triple premiership captaincy and hoped he to could bring the union into a new era.
“This leadership will be amazing,” he said.
“It will be like Joel Selwood captaining Geelong.”
A LOT PEOPLE HAVEN’T GOT A VOICE … I DON’T MIND SPEAKING OUT, I DON’T MIND BEING THE LOUD ONE AND I DON’T MIND PUTTING MY NECK ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK. JOHN BARNES