Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
Adrian William Barich

Known as
Adrian Barich

Born
5 December 1963 (age 60)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 23y 114d
Last game: 28y 143d

Height and weight
Height: 177 cm
Weight: 85 kg

Senior clubs
Perth; West Coast

Jumper numbers
West Coast: 38

Recruited from
Perth (1987)

Adrian Barich

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
PerthWASFL1984-1994161930.58
West CoastV/AFL1987-1989, 1991-199247270.5753%8.944.262.624
Total1984-19942081200.58

AFL: 9,782nd player to appear, 4,479th most games played, 3,173rd most goals kickedWest Coast: 2nd player to appear, 112th most games played, 99th most goals kicked

Is emerging as one of Perth’s key players, nicely balanced utility player whose ball skills at centre or in defence are excellent.¹

Considering he preferred rugby union to Australian football until he was sixteen years of age, Adrian Barich managed to carve out a highly impressive career for himself in the elite echelons of the game. A member of Manuka's 1981 ACTAFL premiership team, the solidly built utility was recruited by Perth in 1984 and quickly developed into one of the Demons' key players. Perfectly balanced, and possessing surprisingly excellent skills, Barich played 60 WAFL games over the next three seasons before being selected in West Coast's inaugural VFL squad in 1987.

At his peak as a player between 1987 and 1989 when he played 47 VFL games, represented Western Australia at state league level against South Australia, and was among the ACT's best players at the 1988 bicentennial carnival in Adelaide, Barich's career hit the skids somewhat when Mick Malthouse was appointed to the Eagles' senior coaching position in 1990. However, despite only making another eight senior appearances during his last three seasons with the club, Barich, along with team mate Phil Scott, made a legible contribution to West Coast's inaugural AFL premiership win in 1992 by sending the team an inspirational letter of support on the eve of the grand final. 

After leaving the Eagles, Barich continued to play for Perth, racking up a total of 161 WAFL games prior to his retirement in 1994. A year earlier he had captained Western Australia at state league level against South Australia, and returned to state of origin football as a member of the combined New South Wales-ACT side which lost to Victoria in Melbourne.

Between 1995 and 1996 Barich showed his versatility by playing rugby league in the national competition for the Perth-based Western Reds whilst simultaneously commencing a career as a TV presenter and reporter.

Author - John Devaney

Footnotes

1. Who’s Who in WA Football 1986, page 22.

Sources

Full Points Footy Publications, Crème de la Crème

Footnotes

* Behinds calculated from the 1965 season on.
+ Score at the end of extra time.