ROBBIE Barber's trademark beard made him look like he was close to retiring for many years.
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But his game told a completely different story with the Kiewa-Sandy Creek star being one of the Hawks' finest players from 1986 to 2008.
He won two premierships and four club best and fairests and was an automatic selection in the club's Team of the Past 50 Years.
Although the former Kiewa cricket captain was no stranger to controversy, he wouldn't change a thing.
Barber spoke to The Border's BRETT KOHLHAGEN earlier this week about everything from snakes to premierships to taking up umpiring.
BRETT KOHLHAGEN: You were involved in a bizarre run out on the cricket field involving a snake at Kiewa many years ago. How did that unfold?
ROBBIE BARBER: I was A grade captain at the time and bowling. I came through with a delivery and the batsman hit the ball and took off for a quick run. Then I looked down and a snake was coming across the pitch. The batsman saw it too and shit himself so he turned back around as the ball was being thrown to the stumps and he was given run out by Yackandandah's square leg umpire. He started walking off but I told him you can't get out like that and called him back.
BK: What happened to the snake?
RB: I think they bottled the bugger and have it to this day. People still talk about it.
BK: You're Kiewa-Sandy Creek's games record-holder with 426 matches. There are a lot of big rivalries in the Tallangatta and District league, did you have a side you loved playing against?
RB: Mitta, it was always hard against them. I remember one day up at Eskdale when Mark Phillips was umpiring. Bloody 'Flo' (Lawrence Hodgkin) hit me so I chased him 100 metres and knocked him arse over. Then Mark Phillips reported me, even though I then got decked by someone else as well. We went to the tribunal and I got off with a suspended sentence.
ALSO IN SPORT:
BK: What's the biggest suspension you received?
RB: I got reported at Sandy Creek against Holbrook once. I accidentally hit a runner (laughs) and a young boundary umpire reported me. I got six weeks for that. My best mate was our runner at the time and he'd cut his wrist and had wires going back to his arm to keep everything steady. He was in a scuffle with their runner and I thought I'd just step in and take him out of the play. Craig Cleary was coaching then. I had a rest from the club and went away camping and that sort of stuff before coming back.
BK: And then later in your career, you took up umpiring. How did that come about?
RB: Yeah well, there is a bit of a story behind that as well.
BK: Please explain.
RB: I was the runner for our under 14s and this day against Barnawartha one of their kids was hitting one of our players so I stepped in and pushed him out of the way. Barnawartha cited me and I went to the tribunal. The penalty was umpiring four matches. I did those four and haven't stopped umpiring since. That was about 12 years ago.
BK: You obviously enjoy it?
RB: I do. I actually got Umpire of the Year for the TDFL last year (laughs). Everyone thought that was pretty funny after what had happened.
BK: You have umpired a lot of club games. I imagine you wouldn't take a lot of crap?
RB: I've done a fair bit of fourths to seconds for the club and, when I get a call, I'll go and do other senior matches that we aren't playing in. I like to let it go as much as I can. If they carry on too much I'll just give them 50 metres.
BK: You played in premierships in 1995 and 2008. Tell us about them.
RB: We actually had a great year in 1994 with Doug Norton-Smith coaching but played Tallangatta in the grand final and got beat. Doug finished up after that and Mark West took over. We beat Mitta in the grand final with Mark Bird kicking seven I think and Lindsay Croucher six. We had a pretty good side with blokes like Ash Phillips playing.
BK: It was a long time before 2008 came around
RB: I was 40.
BK: Back pocket?
RB: Off the bench (laughs). We played Dederang that year. I would have liked to have won some more premierships but some people don't win any. It's been a great family club and I just loved playing.
I was the runner for our under 14s and this day against Barnawartha one of their kids was hitting one of our players so I stepped in and pushed out of the way. Barnawartha cited me and I went to the tribunal. The penalty was umpiring four matches. I did those four and haven't stopped umpiring since. That was about 12 years ago
- Robbie Barber on his introduction to umpiring
BK: How did you pull up after a game at 40?
RB: I usually had a few beers on a Sunday. My body is a bit sore now with work and everything but I had a good run with injuries.
BK: You had a couple of brief stints in the Ovens and Murray didn't you?
RB: I went to Wodonga when Jeff Gieschen was there and hurt my knee so I didn't go back. Then a few years later Johnny Perry came out from Wodonga Raiders and asked me to play. I played a game in the reserves at Corowa-Rutherglen when Maurice Eames was coaching but I didn't like him much. I had a run around and after the game the senior coach Mark Turner said if he'd known that he would have picked me in the seniors. I didn't go back after that.
BK: Do you remember much about your debut for KSC?
RB: Not really, I was probably about 18 though as we had some good sides back then. I remember playing on Robbie Mackinlay in one of my earlier games at Holbrook though. We were on the wing and he'd taken a mark. I ran past him calling his name and he hand-balled it straight to me. I couldn't believe my luck. He'll deny it because he reckons he did it to me but that's what happened.
BK: You're a very decorated footballer but your resume could have been even better with a bit of luck couldn't it?
RB: I played in losing grand finals in 1994, 1999 and 2007 but winning two is better than none. I think I won four best and fairests and came runners-up in another four. In the Barton medal, I got runners-up three times. That's how it goes (laughs).
BK: Best player seen in the TDFL?
RB: I reckon Brendan Smith when he played for us. He was a tough bastard and a real ball magnet. Brendan Way was good when he went to Chiltern. Rod Barton was a tough and skilful player over a long period.
BK: Have you ever played footy without a beard?
RB: I had it when I got married in 1995 so it's been there for a while now.
BK: It was plaited at one stage wasn't it?
RB: My Mrs liked it so she plaited it.
BK: I'm told by a reliable source you've copped a bit over the fence about the beard and your resemblance to Jesus?
RB: A fair bit. I remember against Thurgoona one day when their coach told a player to go and play on No.27. The player said 'which one is he' and the coach just said: 'You'll know the bloke as he looks older than God'.
BK: You have certainly been on the receiving end of a few jibes from teammates over the years haven't you?
RB: Yeah, I'm still getting it. I was coaching the reserves against Wahgunyah one day and the big fella Tim Dinneen was on the verge of kicking 100 goals so I got the boys together and told them to help him out and stop being shell-fish. I said it a few times I think. Obviously I meant to say selfish but it still gets brought up all the time by blokes like Ash Sutherland and 'Gazza' Vogel especially over a few beers. It's just stuck.
BK: Marty Kelly probably copped a bit as well after a game against Thurgoona when it first came into the competition?
RB: He was the only player in our side who didn't kick a goal against them one day. He was centre half-back but our back-pockets and everyone else managed to get one. I think we finished with 300-odd points.
BK: You enjoy watching your boys, Jacob and Joey, playing footy now I'm guessing?
RB: Jacob is playing at Wodonga after starting in its juniors. He's pushed up to the seniors with a lot of his mates now which is good. Joey is just out of the thirds at Kiewa and he's enjoying his footy too.
BK: 2015-16 was a good year on the cricket field for you all
RB: It was great. Jacob and I played together in Kiewa's A-grade flag and Joey was in the winning junior side. We've been really lucky out here as a lot of good cricketers have come through the club. This year was fantastic when the boys just sneaked into the finals ahead of Howlong and ended up winning the premiership.
BK: For someone so lightly-built and rangy, you did well to survive in the TDFL for such a long time as their were some hard players getting around in those early days?
RB: Everyone reckons I had very sharp elbows but I can't remember doing anything like that. I just used to tackle hard and get free kicks. It was hard back then but that's how it was.