St Kilda's Excitement Machine
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84 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2019 HERALDSUN.COM.AU ST KILDA’S EXCITEMENT MACHINE HE’D DO ANYTHING FOR HIS BELOVED SAINTS CHIEF FOOTBALL WRITER MARK ROBINSON ORMA Barker’s withered hands clutch the lace-up jumper. She brings it to her face, closes Nher eyes, and takes a heaving breath. Then she cries. “I can still smell him,” she said. She buried her face in it again. “Oh dear,” she said. “I lost my little girl, too, you know. Katrina. She died when she was five with a congenital heart condition. Trevor was nine and he never got over losing his beautiful little sister. “She got through the surgery OK, but she died about two weeks later.” That was in 1966. “But they learnt from her. I got lovely letters from the Children’s Hospital to say they saved so many other children. That was nice to hear.” Norma is the mother of Trevor Barker, arguably St Kilda’s most loyal son. Last night she accepted Bar- ker’s induction into the Aus- tralian Football Hall of Fame. Barker died of cancer at sleeves, but on this day Norma He played his first game in among some of the iconic ten in the stars that he would “He wouldn’t be expecting 8am on April 26, 1996. had her son’s old lace-up, 1975, played 230 games overall, images in Australian rules. one day become senior coach. anything like this because he He was 39. borrowed for the afternoon was captain for four years and Time and again, comment- Norma has many photos of was a team man and he never Six thousand people attend- from the St Kilda museum. a two-time best-and-fairest ators would bellow “BARKER” her family and friends at her was looking for accolades,” ed his funeral at Moorabbin “I can still smell him,” she winner. That award is now in an excited voice, almost Cheltenham home. Norma told the Herald Sun. Town Hall. said. “If you’d like me to put it named in his honour. breaking down the One is of Barker at training “He would do anything for Barker was a Hollywood on ... I’d like to do it.” Saints fans loved him, rival pronunciation. at Moorabbin. “Look at the his beloved Saints, anything. footballer. Charismatic, long Barker was a beacon of fans admired him. When he left the Saints, he awful long hair,” she said. “A few clubs wanted him, blond hair, spectacular marks, hope through a mediocre His blond hair would streak coached Sandringham to two At 91, Norma was worried but no way he’d leave. Hang tremendous courage and, period for the Saints. And across TV screens as Barker VFA premierships, in 1992 and how she’d scrub up in the on, he nearly did once. To Mel- Norma said, a real “ladies’ Barker, more than any player, launched himself into packs 1994, before returning to the photograph with the jumper. bourne. I think it was Barassi. man”. embodied St Kilda’s mantra: and on to backs. Saints as an assistant coach. “Should I put my spectacles on Was he with Melbourne?” He wore No.1, often in long strength through loyalty. And his marking remains It seemed logical and writ- to hide my tears? I look 110.” MHSE01Z01MA - V1 HERALDSUN.COM.AU WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2019 85 2019 AFL HALL OF FAME Chatterbox reveals his Trevor was Norma Barker (left), mother of St Kilda great Trevor, at her nine and he never Cheltenham home. Barker pulls Stack-tics down a mark during a match SAM BUNN got over losing his against Footscray. Main picture: MICHAEL KLEIN RICHMOND young gun Syd- beautiful little sister ney Stack says he’s still work- ing on his professionalism following a heated exchange with coach Damien Hardwick last week at training. Stack’s stunning form, including a 24-disposal effort in the loss to North Mel- bourne, earned him Round 11’s Rising Star nomination. “(The training incident) was nothing big. I just rocked up late on the track and got sprayed, I guess. He (Hard- wick) said sorry afterwards,” Stack, 19, said yesterday. “I’m still working on my professionalism and the older, senior guys are helping with that. I really get around this team of boys and ask them for advice and all that sort of stuff.” The exuberant Western Australian has built a repu- tation for having an energetic presence around the club. Asked whether Hardwick had a soft spot for him, Stack said he preferred to keep his coach and teammates on their toes. “I wouldn’t say he has a soft spot (for me),” Stack said. “I annoy everyone at the club, so Dimma (Hardwick) is divorced when Trevor was 16, the rest of the family is going to It was in pride of place on probably one of my main would watch Trevor play at TREVOR suffer. I decided I was going to the kitchen bench. people I annoy. I just love Bentleigh. “Yep, every week. BARKER be brave. It started, “Dear Norma, it’s annoying people, so that’s just Jack and I would get up, have “You never think your my honour to inform you the me, I guess. a quick cuppa, and put the St Kilda 1975-89 children are going to die before AFL Commission has en- “I just talk to him and annoy trackies over our PJs because it 230 games; 134 goals you. So I decided I wasn’t dorsed your late son Trevor for him — keep on asking ques- was so cold, it started at 8am. n St Kilda captain: 1983-86 going to have any more. entry into the Hall of Fame … ” tions and stuff like that, keep “We loved it.” n St Kilda best & fairest: I wasn’t meant to have them. Norma: “It’s a beautiful let- him going.” She knew he had something 1976, 1981 “Sometimes, but not very ter, and isn’t that an honour?” as a player. “I thought he had n State games (Vic): 6 often, I have said, ‘Why, why Her table of 10 last night potential, yes.” n Sandringham coach: did I have two children and included Melinda, Barker’s By the time Trevor was at 1992-94 (VFA premierships lose them both? What have partner at the time of his death. EX-ROOS the Saints, Jack was gone, and 1992 & 1994) I done wrong?’ I do talk to God “She’s been like a daughter she’d watch the game with girl- n St Kilda Hall of Fame a bit. I thank him for the bless- to me, a beautiful girl,” she MAY JOIN friends. Legend ings and growl at him at the said. “We were called ‘the back same time. Norma bought a new dress n St Kilda Team of the REVIEW row’ at Moorabbin. There were 20th Century “But time heals all wounds. and new spectacles for last 14 of us sitting together. We I still shed quiet tears, particu- night. JON RALPH were very loud. He would take larly when you see people out “I went into Specsavers those high marks and come a boy and a girl, and he was my shopping with their children, because I was choosing new FORMER North Melbourne down on his back. I would be first. All I ever wanted to have so happy, and I think that spectacles to wear on the night players Brady Rawlings and worried. One day he got kicked in my life was a happy mar- could’ve been me. But I say to of the cocktail do,’’ she said. Peter Bell are likely to be in the face, and I sent one of riage and at least two children. myself, keep a stiff upper lip.” “I was getting my glasses sounded out as part of a my friends down to the rooms I had an unhappy marriage She rushed to her bedroom and the lass said, ‘Gee, they’re comprehensive review of the because we weren’t allowed in and I lost my children. and returned with a photo- nice. Is it a special occasion?’ club’s football department. the rooms in those days, “But I’ve had a good life.” graph of Katrina and Trevor. “I said, ‘Yes, actually, I’m The Kangaroos are mothers and women,” she said. “You can look at his adoring going to the AFL Hall of Fame working to establish the Asked to describe him as NITIALLY, Trevor didn’t look to his little sister,” she dinner. My son is being induct- criteria for their search for a a player, Norma said: “He was tell his mum of the cancer. said. ed’. Well, you should hear her. senior coach as they set up a just the best. Well, I thought he I “He coached Sandring- “She was four. She started ‘What, are you Trevor Barker’s sub-committee. was. He’d take great marks, he ham to two premierships and school and could only go for mother?’ She was telling The club will also cast a was a speedster, and he used to I noticed it then,” she said. one month. When she was everybody, it was so exciting.” wide net about elite staff tackle well. He was a wonder- “He was starting to get very sick, she’d say, ‘Don’t cry, You do know you weren’t across the AFL community. ful tackler.” dark circles under the eyes and Mummy, I feel really well’. allowed to tell anybody. Rawlings is list manager at Asked to describe him as it seemed to me he was getting “She knew she wasn’t, but “Ahh, oops ..