Bill Barrot

The son of Wesley Thomas Barrot (1917–1978), and Peggy Eileen Barrot (1923–2016), née French, William Thomas Barrot was born at Melbourne on 6 May 1944.

His brother Wes Barrot, a professional sprinter who also played VFL football with Richmond and with Collingwood.

Barrot made his senior VFL in 1961 for Richmond Football Club, where he was known with popular affection as Bustling Billy. Playing as a centreman, Barrot won the Jack Dyer Medal (Richmond's best-and-fairest award) in 1965, was an interstate representative for Victoria, and a major driving force behind the Tigers' 1967 grand final win. However, Barrot was prone to injury, which limited his senior VFL appearances for the Tigers to just 120 over ten seasons, although he did get a second premiership with Richmond in 1969. A personal highlight for the year, besides winning the premiership, was a career-best 8-goal haul against Carlton; at the time, Richmond's 24.12.156 was the highest team score Carlton had ever conceded, although Carlton only lost by 29 points.^[1][2]

In 1971, Barrot was sensationally traded to St Kilda in exchange for two-time Brownlow Medallist Ian Stewart, who would end up winning the 1971 Brownlow Medal with Richmond for his record-tying third medal; sports writer Greg Hobbs claimed Barrot was being offered $10,000 (equivalent to $122,699 in 2022) for a two-year contract (plus bonuses), a very good salary for the time. However, Barrot never truly settled at Moorabbin Oval, managing just a couple of games, and later in the year he was traded to Carlton Football Club, where he finished his VFL career.

In 1972, Barrot played for VFA side Oakleigh, which had endured a lean time for more than a decade. Barrot's impact, both on and off the field, was immediate and pronounced, and the Devils won the first-division grand final.

Moving to Adelaide, Barrot was appointed as captain-coach of SANFL club West Torrens. After running seventh in 1973, the Eagles endured a horror start to the 1974 season which ultimately precipitated Barrot's departure, in somewhat acrimonious circumstances, midway through the year. However, it was during this 1.5-year stint at West Torrens that Barrot would be remembered for his 87-metre torpedo punt goal.^[3]

He finished his career back at Oakleigh, where he took over as coach.^[4]Barrot coached Frankston FC in the VFA, under his former teammate at Richmond FC, Mike Patterson. He coached Frankston reserves to a drawn Grand Final against Preston.Years later, whilst playing in a Richmond legends game, Barrot suffered a heart attack and almost died on the field.

Barrot died on 29 November 2016 aged 72.^[5][6]

• Australian Football World Tour

• Hogan P (1996), The Tigers of Old: A complete History of Every Player to Represent the Richmond Football Club between 1908 and 1996, Richmond FC, (Melbourne). ISBN 0-646-18748-1
• Ross, J. (ed.) (1996), 100 Years of Australian Football 1897–1996: The Complete Story of the AFL, All the Big Stories, All the Great Pictures, All the Champions, Every AFL Season Reported, Ringwood: Viking. ISBN 0-670-86814-0

• Bill Barrot's playing statistics from AFL Tables
• Billy Barrot at AustralianFootball.com
• William 'Bustling Billy' Barrot, at The VFA Project.
• Richmond Football Club – Hall of Fame
• West Torrens Honour Board.