Barnes storms into Test calculation
From an early age, Berrick Barnes discovered the rewards of being persistent. When the Wallabies inside-centre was seven, he was invited from Kingaroy to Brisbane for a Broncos league coaching clinic.
Among the coaches was Peter Ryan, who told the group of ankle-biters that if any of them could catch one of his high bombs he would give them $2.
Barnes put up his hand and up went the high ball. Barnes caught it, approached Ryan and asked: "Where's my $2?"
Ryan laughed it off. The youngster wouldn't let go. At the end of the session, Barnes followed Ryan to his car, asking repeatedly for his money. Eventually, Ryan relented, thrust his hand in his pocket, and mumbled: "All right kid, leave me alone, take the $2."
They met again when Barnes was a fully fledged Queensland Red and Ryan was conducting defensive drills. Barnes asked Ryan if he remembered that pesky little kid. "He laughed when I told him the story. I don't know if he remembered it or not, but it's funny how things turn out."
Persistence has always worked for Barnes, with his high work ethic and obsession with improving his skills turning him into one of Australian rugby's most valuable assets. Persistence by others also ensured Barnes became a Wallaby.
If the Queensland Reds had delayed their pursuit of Barnes in 2005 by only a few more weeks, he could have easily been lost to league and probably would have instead been playing in last night's State of Origin opener.
He grew up in a league stronghold in Kingaroy, and by the age of 12 was on a Brisbane Broncos scholarship. When leaving school, joining the Broncos "was an offer I couldn't refuse, especially being coached by Wayne Bennett and playing alongside the likes of Darren Lockyer and Gorden Tallis."
In his second year with the club, aged 18, he played nine first-grade NRL games. Luckily for Australian rugby, he was convinced to change codes after just one league appearance.
"The contract decision happened after I had played one game for the Broncos. Had at that stage I had played more I probably would have stayed at the Broncos because I loved the club," Barnes said yesterday.
Four years on, he has no regrets about making the switch, delighted he has seen the world and acquitted himself against the best, but admits the following season when the Broncos won the NRL premiership, "I wondered if I could have been part of that. Then again, if I stayed at the Broncos I wouldn't have gone to a World Cup," Barnes said. "And I wouldn't trade anything for my experiences at the 2007 World Cup. I had a ball."
Still, there is no doubt that Barnes's short time at the Broncos made him as a player and a person. He learnt leadership qualities and how crucial a strong senior player group is.
"The Broncos is not an easy spot when you're a young bloke because you have to earn your respect there. Wayne [Bennett] can definitely serve it up, especially to young blokes who stuff up his drills. I was constantly one of them. But it's a bloody good place to be part of. They have a really impressive family culture there.
"Apart from Wayne, who has such a commanding aura about him, the senior players are a big influence. The senior guys don't cop any crap."
Barnes is particularly indebted to Tallis, who made a teenager, who had to ride a pushbike to Broncos training because he wasn't old enough to have a driver's licence, feel welcome.
"Gordie would chuck my bike in his car and drive me home after training, even though it was a long way from his place. He would sometimes come in, have a beer and a chat with Dad, which was great.
"You hear a lot of bad things about leaguies but what Gordie did for me when I was just 17 was so influential."
Now that at 23, Barnes finds himself tagged a "senior player" at the Reds, he tries to use what he learned at the Broncos to be a reliable leader. "I've still got a long way to go, and have made a fair few boo-boos along the way. That's the learning curve."
An imperative is never losing perspective. For Barnes, that means living at home, where his parents won't allow him to get a big head.
"It's important to have that strong base to come home to and where you know people aren't going to blow wind up your arse," he quipped.
http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/n...29.html?page=2
http://media.smh.com.au/sport/wallab...by-553714.html
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The text doesn't seem to have much in common with the title, but I thought it quite a good article anyway. He very much comes across as his own man, with little time for "princesses". Maybe it is the league background, as Cross has notably said similar things. Would love to see him at the Force, but would probably best serve Australian rugby by staying at the Reds - he is certainly someone around which they could build a team and renew a culture. Wish we could find some more like him though.
