MERBEIN FNC is mourning the death of club great Noel ‘Dorrie’ Barnes, who passed away on Tuesday night after a long illness.
Barnes collected three club best-and-fairest awards during a golden era for Merbein, playing 160 games. He was a member of the 1962-’63 senior premiership sides and was inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame in 2010.
He was once described by former Robinvale coach and Carlton Brownlow medallist John James as the strongest and most determined player he had played against.
In a post on the club’s Facebook page this week, president Toney Hurley said the defender and “one of Merbein’s greatest players” had also represented the league on many occasions and had gone on to be a long-time member of the selection committee at Kenny Park.
“Dorrie was short for a centre-half-back, but was able to beat many taller opponents through sheer determination,” Hurley wrote.
“They don’t make them like Dorrie anymore. A true man’s man. He definitely called it as he seen it.”
