West Coast’s Matt Flynn backs youngster Harry Barnett to make it as No.1 ruckman despite early struggles

West Coast ruckman Matt Flynn has endorsed young Eagle Harry Barnett to make it in the AFL despite struggling to emerge in his first three years at the club. Barnett has long been maligned by supporters for not coming on as hoped after he was taken with pick 23 in the 2022 national draft. The 203cm South Australian ruckman has played only two AFL games in nearly three full seasons, spending most of his time at Mineral Resources Park in the reserves where he has played as a ruckman, key defender and big forward. Barnett, 21, has played 45 games for the Eagles’ WAFL side — more than any other AFL-listed player — behind only former defender Ethan Hansen (55) as well as co-captain Shannon Lucassen (50), Andries Mercer (49) and Jack Eastough (47). Barnett is contracted until the end of next season after re-signing for a further two seasons in June last year. Flynn said he could see plenty of upside in the West Adelaide product despite his tough start to his AFL career. “Barney’s got a lot of physical attributes that a lot of big men would love to have. He moves really well, he runs well, he jumps, and he can take the footy at the highest point,” Flynn told The West Australian. “I’ve done a lot of work with him in terms of his ruck craft and trying to work in that space. I know the key forwards have done some stuff in that area with him too. Barney’s got a lot of development to go in that regard, he’s a 21-year-old ruck. It took me five or six years to even play my first game. “People forget these boys do take a long time and sometimes there’s a lot of commentary externally that people think is right but don’t understand what’s going on inside the four walls.” Barnett is yet to play in the AFL side this year, having last turned out in round two last season. He arrived at the Eagles highly touted, having been named in the under-18 All-Australian squad in 2022, and drew comparisons to Sydney star Brodie Grundy by AFL talent ambassador Kevin Sheehan at the time. It came on the back of a strong combine where he showed his mobility by running the 2km time trial in 6min. 32sec. and the 20m sprint in 3.00sec. And while Barnett has played in a variety of positions in his short career, Flynn said he had the capability to be a No.1 ruckman or play as a forward-ruck. “He’s got a lot at that second ruck, key forward stuff. That’s an area of his game that he’s starting to develop and he’s starting to mark the footy,” he said. “He can also hold down the No.1 ruck spot. That’s probably his No.1 focus at the moment – the ruck and key forward stuff. “That takes time, and he’s developed along nicely.”