Mark Bairstow
{{short description|Australian rules footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Mark Bairstow
| image =
| fullname = Mark William Bairstow
| nickname = Toby
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1963|7|24|df=yes}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| originalteam = Lake Grace
| height = 180 cm
| weight = 87 kg
| position =
| statsend = 1994
| years1 = 1985–1986
| club1 = {{WAFL|SF}}
| games_goals1 = {{0}}40 {{0}}(32)
| years2 = 1987–1994
| club2 = {{AFL Gee}}
| games_goals2 = 146 (172)
| games_goalstotal = 186 (204)
| careerhighlights = * 3× All-Australian team: (1987, 1991, 1992)
- Geelong captain: (1992–1994)
- West Australian Football Hall of Fame, inducted 2010
}}
Mark William Bairstow (born 24 July 1963) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Geelong Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL) and for the South Fremantle Football Club in the West Australian Football League (WAFL).
WAFL career
Bairstow came to South Fremantle Football Club from Lake Grace in 1985 and had an immediate impact, winning the WA Media Guild's Footballer of the Future award, representing Western Australia in a state match against South Australia, coming second to Wally Matera in South Fremantle's best and fairest award and equal third in the Sandover Medal. He was then named as captain in 1986 and represented WA twice more, won the Sandover Medal and South Fremantle's best and fairest award.{{cite book|last1=Poat|first1=Peter|last2=East|first2=Alan|title=1986 West Australian Football Register|publisher=Westralian Publishers|edition=24th|page=10}}
VFL/AFL career
Coach John Devine's recruitment drive in 1986 and 1987, saw players such as Dwayne Russell, Billy Brownless, Barry Stoneham, Robert Scott, Garry Hocking and Bairstow recruited by the Geelong Football Club. Bairstow signed with Geelong on 26 September 1986, five days before the 12 VFL clubs voted to allow a West Australian club (the West Coast Eagles) to join the competition.{{cite book|last1=Poat|first1=Peter|last2=East|first2=Alan|title=1987 West Australian Football Register|publisher=Westralian Publishers|edition=25th|page=84}}
Bairstow debuted for Geelong in 1987 and soon became Geelong's main ruck-rover. Geelong had one of the better midfields in the then Victorian Football League(VFL) in the late 1980s with Paul Couch, Andrew Bews and Bairstow. Bairstow was recognised as a prolific kick-getter. In 1989, he had 404 kicks during the 22-round home and away season to finish third on the disposals list with 591, behind Paul Couch on 615 and Terry Wallace on 614.{{cite book|author= Hobbs, Greg|title=A Dynamic Trio, Football Record|edition=Vol.78. No.24 |date=17 September 1989|page=17}}
After Geelong's loss in the 1989 grand final, Bairstow retired from VFL football and returned home to Lake Grace, Western Australia to work on his family's farm. While there, Bairstow played football for Lake Grace, including another losing grand final.{{cite book|last1=Poat|first1=Peter|last2=East|first2=Alan|title=1990 West Australian Football Register|publisher=Westralian Publishers|edition=28th|page=68}}
Bairstow returned to Geelong in 1991 and helped them to the grand final in both 1992 and 1994.
After the 1994 grand final defeat and Malcolm Blight's resignation as coach of Geelong, Bairstow was delisted by Blight's former assistant, new coach Gary Ayres. Due to the nature of Bairstow's dismissal, he has seldom been back to the club.Niall, Jake; [http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/08/15/1060936060179.html Geelong and the stray Cats]; The Age; 2003-08-16
Bairstow was selected in the All-Australian teams in 1987, 1991 and 1992.[http://www.wafootball.com.au/wafc/news/1773-2010-hall-of-fame-inductees- 2010 Hall of Fame inductees ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324110344/http://wafootball.com.au/wafc/news/1773-2010-hall-of-fame-inductees- |date=24 March 2012 }}; West Australian Football Commission Inc.; 2010-03-11
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{AFL Tables}}
- {{AustralianFootball}}
- {{WAFL FootyFacts}}
{{Geelong Football Club captains}}
{{1987 All-Australian team}}
{{1987 VFL Team of the Year}}
{{1989 VFL Team of the Year}}
{{1991 All-Australian team}}
{{1992 All-Australian team}}
{{1985 Western Australia State of Origin players}}
{{1986 Western Australia State of Origin players}}
{{1987 Western Australia State of Origin players}}
{{1991 Western Australia State of Origin players}}
{{1993 Western Australia State of Origin players}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bairstow, Mark}}
Category:South Fremantle Football Club players
Category:Geelong Football Club players
Category:Geelong Football Club captains
Category:Western Australian State of Origin players
Category:Sandover Medal winners
Category:All-Australians (AFL)
Category:Australian rules footballers from Western Australia
Category:All-Australians (1953–1988)
Category:West Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees
Category:People from Lake Grace, Western Australia
Category:Australia international rules football team players