Hawthorn's recent recruit, Tom Barrass, has opened up about a tumultuous period in his life that nearly led him to retire from the AFL.
In a candid interview with 7NEWS' Mitch Cleary, the former West Coast Eagles premiership defender admitted that his passion for the game had waned, prompting him to consider a major life change. However, a well-timed approach from Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell rekindled his commitment to footy.
Barrass, who played a pivotal role in West Coast's 2018 premiership campaign and claimed the club's Best and Fairest in 2022, shocked many when he requested a trade to Hawthorn despite three years remaining on his contract.
"I was feeling dissatisfied in my life," Barrass told Cleary.
"Football was getting quite stale, and I was open to the idea of trying something different, even a new career."
That discontent shifted in July when Mitchell, his former teammate and assistant coach, reached out to discuss a potential move to Hawthorn.
โI could only ever be open-minded to Sam coming to Western Australia once I realised that I was looking for something new,โ Barrass explained.
Mitchell's vision for Hawthorn and the opportunity for mentorship reignited Barrass' enthusiasm.
โLearning the game off one of the greatsโฆ that really appealed to me.โ
Despite the appeal of joining the Hawks, Barrass knew it would be a difficult departure from the Eagles, where he had played 11 seasons and logged 150 games.
Just months earlier, he had reaffirmed his commitment to West Coast, declaring, "I'm a West Coast Eagles player, and unless the rug gets pulled out from under my feet, I'll stay that way."
Reflecting on that statement, Barrass acknowledged, โSometimes those things age poorly. I put my hand up and say I was wrong about that.โ
In his pursuit of a fresh start, Barrass found himself closely following Hawthorn's season, hoping for a lower draft pick that might facilitate his trade.
โTo be honest, I was hoping the Hawks would lose a bit more towards the end of the year,โ he admitted.
โI thought they were going to get pick 18 at one stage, which wasn't going to help me arrive at the footy club.โ
Ultimately, the Hawks used future selections to secure Barrass just before the trade period deadline.
Leaving the Eagles, however, was bittersweet. Barrass took to social media to express gratitude to the club that drafted him in 2013, writing, โThis has been an extremely hard decision, but sometimes hard is good, and the interests of my family and friends come first.โ
Barrass credited the Eagles with providing him โunbelievable opportunities, mentors, and friendships,โ adding that his appreciation for the club's understanding throughout the process was profound.
With new motivation, Barrass now sets his sights on success at Hawthorn. Asked about his premiership aspirations with the Hawks, he replied with optimism: โI very much hope so.โ
