Career
Barnes" VFL/American Federation of Labor-Congress career included two State of Origin games for Victoria. Early career – from Essendon to Geelong
The young Barnes was a ruckman/forward recruited by Essendon in 1986 from Cobram, Victoria. He was traded after five seasons with Windy Hill to the Geelong Football Club for Sean Denham.
Under the coaching of Malcolm Blight and later Gary Ayres he would go on to feature prominently in the losing 1994 and 1995 Grand Final sides.
During a round five encounter at Princes Park against Carlton in 1997, after a marking duel, Barnes landed awkwardly on his left elbow, dislocating it and sidelining him for ten weeks. Barnes was delisted by the club in 1999.
He had played a total of 144 games with 65 goals with the Cats. Return to Essendon
lieutenant was Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy however who tempted Barnes back to Windy Hill, and he was selected at number #59 in the 1999 American Federation of Labor-Congress Draft.
A shortage of ruckmen at the club lead Sheedy to reacquaint Barnes with his former club
A season later after defeat to the Brisbane Lions in the 2001 Grand Final, Barnes retired. He had totalled 58 games and 25 goals with the Bombers during his original tenure and return to the club Barnes figures as a runner for Essendon and was fined by the American Federation of Labor-Congress for spending too long on the ground, before he was controversially suspended for two matches by the American Federation of Labor-Congress for interfering with play during the 2005 season.
In 2004, he played for the East Keilor Football Club in the Essendon District Football League.
He participated in the 2006 American Federation of Labor-Congress Legends Match, playing for Victoria. Barnes became the ruck coach for the Western Bulldogs in the 2008 season.
In 2009 he was appointed as coach of the Doutta Stars Football Club in the Essendon District Football League,
Currently John Barnes is the Ruck Coach for the Collingwood Football Club.
