Mark bairstow
Encyclopedia
Mark Bairstow is a former Australian rules football
er who played in both the Australian Football League
(AFL) and the West Australian Football League
(WAFL).
from Lake Grace
in 1985 and had an immediate impact, winning the WA Media Guild's Footballer of the Future award, representing Western Australia is a state match against South Australia, coming second to Wally Matera
in South Fremantle's best and fairest
award and equal third in the Sandover Medal
. He was then named as captain in 1986 and represented WA twice more, won the Sandover Medal and South Fremantle's best and fairest award.
's mass-recruit-drive in 1986 and 1987, players such as Dwayne Russell
, Billy Brownless
, Bruce Lindner
, Barry Stoneham
as well as Bairstow were recruited by the Geelong Football Club
. Bairstow signed with Geelong on 26 September 1986, five days before the 12 VFL clubs voted to allow a West Australian club (the West Coast Eagles
) to join the competition.
Bairstow debuted for Geelong in 1987 and soon became Geelong's main ruck-rover. In the late 1980s, Geelong's midfield would be among the better in the then Victorian Football League
(VFL) with Paul Couch
, Andrew Bews
and Bairstow teaming beautifully to supply the team's powerful forward line.
After Geelong's loss in the 1989 grand final, Bairstow retired from VFL football and returned home to Lake Grace, Western Australia
to work on his family's farm, while playing for the football side there.
However, he returned in 1991 and gave Geelong fantastic drive from the centreline that paved the way for Geelong's Grand Final appearances in 1992 and 1994.
After the 1994 Grand Final defeat and Malcolm Blight
's resignation as coach of the club, Bairstow was advised that he was no longer required at the club by Blight's former assistant, new coach Gary Ayres
. Due to the nature of Bairstow's dismissal, he has seldom been back to the club.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er who played in both the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(AFL) and the West Australian Football League
West Australian Football League
The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League...
(WAFL).
WAFL career
Bairstow came to South Fremantle Football ClubSouth Fremantle Football Club
The South Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Bulldogs, is an Australian rules football club, based in Fremantle, Western Australia, playing in the West Australian Football League...
from Lake Grace
Lake Grace, Western Australia
-Natural disasters:In late 2005 and early 2006, Lake Grace experienced two natural disasters. The first was a hail storm on 16 October 2005, which destroyed 500 hectares of wheat and barley crop and damaged a further 5,500 hectares, with some farmers reporting fields covered by up to...
in 1985 and had an immediate impact, winning the WA Media Guild's Footballer of the Future award, representing Western Australia is a state match against South Australia, coming second to Wally Matera
Wally Matera
Wally Matera is a former Australian rules footballer of Indigenous and Italian heritage. He played with the West Coast Eagles and Fitzroy in the AFL and for South Fremantle in the WAFL...
in South Fremantle's best and fairest
Best and Fairest
Best and Fairest is the term commonly used in Australian sport to describe the player adjudged to have had the best performance in a game or over a season for a given sporting club or competition while not receiving a suspension for misconduct or breaching the rules during that season.In the...
award and equal third in the Sandover Medal
Sandover Medal
The Sandover Medal is an Australian rules football award, given annually since 1921 to the fairest and best player in the West Australian Football League...
. He was then named as captain in 1986 and represented WA twice more, won the Sandover Medal and South Fremantle's best and fairest award.
VFL/AFL career
As part of then-coach John DevineJohn Devine (Australian rules footballer)
John Devine is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Geelong in the VFL during the 1960s, and Tasmanian Football League side North Hobart between 1967 & 1973....
's mass-recruit-drive in 1986 and 1987, players such as Dwayne Russell
Dwayne Russell
Dwayne John Russell is a former Australian rules footballer and currently a commentator of the sport. He played for the Port Adelaide Football Club in the SANFL, before crossing over to VFL club Geelong in 1987...
, Billy Brownless
Billy Brownless
Anthony William "Billy" Brownless is a former Australian rules footballer with the Geelong Football Club in the Australian Football League and media personality.- Football career :...
, Bruce Lindner
Bruce Lindner
Bruce Norman Lindner is a former Australian Rules footballer who played for Geelong and Adelaide in the AFL and for West Adelaide in the SANFL.-SANFL Career:...
, Barry Stoneham
Barry Stoneham
Barry Stoneham is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Geelong Football Club between 1986 and 2000.Originally from St Joseph's, Stoneham appeared 241 times for Geelong in the AFL and kicked 223 goals....
as well as Bairstow were recruited by the Geelong Football Club
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
. Bairstow signed with Geelong on 26 September 1986, five days before the 12 VFL clubs voted to allow a West Australian club (the West Coast Eagles
West Coast Eagles
The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
) to join the competition.
Bairstow debuted for Geelong in 1987 and soon became Geelong's main ruck-rover. In the late 1980s, Geelong's midfield would be among the better in the then Victorian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(VFL) with Paul Couch
Paul Couch
Paul Couch is a retired Australian rules footballer who played for Geelong in the Australian Football League.Prior to playing with Geelong, Couch initially tried out with Fitzroy, but was rejected for being too slow....
, Andrew Bews
Andrew Bews
Andrew Bews is a former Australian rules footballer who played 282 VFL/AFL games during the 1980s and 90s.Debuting in 1981 after being recruited from North Geelong, Bews played over 200 games for Geelong. A tagger, he earned All Australian selection in 1987.Bews moved to Brisbane in 1994 to play...
and Bairstow teaming beautifully to supply the team's powerful forward line.
After Geelong's loss in the 1989 grand final, Bairstow retired from VFL football and returned home to Lake Grace, Western Australia
Lake Grace, Western Australia
-Natural disasters:In late 2005 and early 2006, Lake Grace experienced two natural disasters. The first was a hail storm on 16 October 2005, which destroyed 500 hectares of wheat and barley crop and damaged a further 5,500 hectares, with some farmers reporting fields covered by up to...
to work on his family's farm, while playing for the football side there.
However, he returned in 1991 and gave Geelong fantastic drive from the centreline that paved the way for Geelong's Grand Final appearances in 1992 and 1994.
After the 1994 Grand Final defeat and Malcolm Blight
Malcolm Blight
Malcolm Jack Blight AM is a former champion Australian rules football player and coach, and current television commentator. During the 1970s and 1980s Blight played for the Woodville Football Club in the South Australian National Football League and the North Melbourne Football Club in the...
's resignation as coach of the club, Bairstow was advised that he was no longer required at the club by Blight's former assistant, new coach Gary Ayres
Gary Ayres
Gary Ayres is a former Australian rules footballer for the Hawthorn Football Club and currently the senior coach for the Port Melbourne Football Club in the Victoria Football League.-Playing career:...
. Due to the nature of Bairstow's dismissal, he has seldom been back to the club.