From one AFL legend to another: Barassi an ‘innovator’, ‘terrific fella’

afr.com:

Carlton coaching legend David Parkin says Ron Barassi, another of the club’s coaching legends, should be remembered for being a “real pioneer and innovator” in the way Australia rules football is now played – but most of all as simply a “terrific fella”.

Ron Barassi greets fans at the AFL 2022 season opener Melbourne vs the Western Bulldogs at the MCG. Eddie Jim

Barassi, who died aged 87 on Saturday, after a belter of an AFL semi-final in which Carlton, who worship Barassi as a two-time premiership coach, defeated Melbourne, who revere him as a six-time premiership player.

Parkin, 81, who coached Carlton to three premierships, said Barassi was generous as a human being and thoughtful and creative in the way he coached the game.

“He did things for me, and I guess a lot of other people, that you wouldn’t have anticipated,” Parkin said. “If he thought that I’d like to read this or see that or meet somebody or whatever, he’d organise that and be a part of it. He was just a very special human being.”

Parkin described Barassi as “a fantastic, passionate player who took control of games through sheer courage and that sort of thing, but I think he should be more remembered as a pioneer.”

To illustrate the mechanics of how Barassi changed the game, Parkin recounted the meetings of coaches that the late coach organised to help improve the sport.

Then-North Melbourne coach Ron Barassi and former Hawthorn coach David Parkin hold the 1978 VFL premiership trophy before the game. Hawthorn would go on to defeat North Melbourne by 18 points (121-103) to win the premiership. 

“I was able over many years to sit on the coaches’ conference, which met a couple of times a year. It was really good because he would often organise those separate