Tom Barrass Biography

Tom Barrass is expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the 2023 season after scans revealed a compressed fracture in his back.

Luke Shuey will lead West Coast as captain for a fourth consecutive season in 2023.

He will be supported in 2023 by vice-captains Jeremy McGovern and club champion Tom Barrass.

"Luke has enjoyed strong support from the player group over the last three years and that sentiment carried through in the process this season," general manager of football Gavin Bell said.

"Jeremy has been a vice-captain to Luke for each of the last three years and he has been joined by Tom who has demonstrated his leadership qualities, both on and off-field, for several years."

Ruckman Nic Naitanui, who managed just eight matches last year, due to injury chose not to pursue an official leadership role after being elevated to the vice-captaincy for the first time last year.

Tom Barrass wins his first John Worsfold Medal as the Eagles' 2022 club champion.

Barrass, whose career-best year saw him recognised among the best key defenders in the AFL, steamed home in the second half of the season to poll 182 votes and finish 33 votes clear of veteran backman Shannon Hurn (149).

Tom Barrass admits he lost his passion for the game in a 2019 season that was ruined by injury and ended with his form and confidence deserting him.

"The pressure and the expectation of performing at premiership level, of winning another flag, of wanting to be a good player, I probably let that consume me a bit too much," Barrass said.

"I didn't just play carefree footy and have fun out there, and once that starts to snowball you lose control a bit. Once your confidence goes, and combine that with not feeling passionate about footy, your performance goes too."

Barrass says he was supported by the Eagles' senior leaders and coaches in the off-season and given a "template" to follow as he built an identity for himself that wasn't attached to football. He changed his university degree from science to arts, took up gardening, and is working in radio.

"I think I arrived on having a better off-field balance, pursuing creative interests off-field and pursuing professional interests off-field to create an identity for yourself that's not too attached to the footy club and how your on-field performances go," he said.

West Coast is confident Tom Barrass will be fit for the start of the 2020 AFL season despite the defender undergoing foot surgery.

The Eagles expect Barrass to be sidelined for eight weeks, but are aiming to have him ready for the start of the 2020 season.

Tom Barrass suffers a significant stress-related foot injury that West Coach coach Adam Simpson has blamed on the Optus Stadium surface.

"He's another victim we have at the moment. Whenever we lose a player it seems to be a lower leg injury," Simpson said.

"His foot, he's pulled up sore yesterday, so we're assessing whether it's another stress-related injury, which will be probably our seventh in the last 20 games.

"We're trying to work out why. We’re going to have to stop training here (Optus Stadium), and that's pretty obvious."

Tom Barrass signs a three-year contract extension to remain at West Coast until the end of 2022.

Tom Barrass signs a new two-year deal with West Coast that will keep him at the club until the end of 2019.

Tom Barrass says he has trimmed down after feeling overweight towards the end of his breakout 2016 season.

"I've leaned up a little bit from last year. I was pretty fat towards the back end of the year," Barrass said.

"That's just the nature of the season, with carb-loading you tend to stack on a few (kilos).

"But I'm feeling a bit leaner and a bit lighter this pre-season, but I don't feel like I've lost too much strength."

Barrass was in West Coast's best side from round 12 onwards and looks set to form a combination with fellow key defensive revelation Jeremy McGovern for years to come.

"I suppose last year was a little bit surprising, but at the same time I felt that I really got on top of my preparation last year and even through the WAFL I was playing good footy," Barrass said.

"When I got into the side and I was able to start stringing some games together, it was a little bit surprising, but at the same time it's just a game of football at a higher level.

"I was confident that I would be able to continue my form."

Tom Barrass will be aiming for payback when he takes on Western Bulldogs forward Tom Boyd in the Eagles' elimination final at Domain Stadium.

Boyd kicked three goals on Barrass within the first 10 minutes of the match when they squared off in an Under-18 National Championship game in 2013.

Luckily for Barrass, Boyd injured his ankle while taking a mark for what could have been his fourth goal, and played no further part in the game.

"He got off to a flyer, and was bombing them from everywhere," Barrass said.

"It was me and (Sydney Swan) Aliir Aliir (playing on him).

"We were trying to convince each other to go on him. I think I got him in the end.

"It's the only time I've played on him, so I might owe him one."

Tom Barrass earns the round 23 AFL Rising Star nomination after gathering 17 disposals at 94.1 per cent efficiency in West Coast's upset 29-point win over Adelaide.

Barrass has worked closely with backline coach Adrian Hickmott and his mentor, former Eagle Mark Nicoski who have both taught the young defender his role in the fabled 'Weagles Web'.

"It (the game style) probably takes a few pre-seasons to wrap your head around. But it does suit the way I like to play," Barrass said.

"I've worked really closely with 'Nico' and he's been a big influence on my life, and not just as a footballer, and he's shown me the ropes around being an AFL footballer and on top of that the game style."

Tom Barrass makes his AFL debut for West Coast with 15 disposals (7 kicks and 8 handballs), 5 marks and a tackle in a 52-point win over Sydney.

Tom Barrass is in line to make his AFL debut against the Sydney Swans this week as the Eagles search for a defensive replacement for Jeremy McGovern.

McGovern injured his left hamstring during West Coast's 31-point win over Collingwood at Etihad Stadium.

"He reads the flight of the footy really well," Eagles teammate Mark LeCras said of Barrass.

"I think he has been training a fair bit with 'Gov', (learning) the way he sort of plays and he has been able to play a bit like that at East Perth.

"He has grown in confidence this year and I am sure that if he did come into the side, he would be able to play the role fine."

West Coast youngsters Tom Barrass and Rowen Powell have both been sidelined for the rest of the season due to injury.

Barrass has endured a frustrating first season in the AFL system. He was placed on the long-term injury list in January following surgery to repair a tear in his hip joint.

He returned to play eight WAFL reserves matches with East Perth but failed to break into the league side. A persistent groin injury has caused him increasing pain and the Eagles have decided to rest him for the remainder of the year in order to prepare for 2015.

Powell has played seven WAFL reserves matches but requires shoulder surgery that will rule him out for the rest of year.