DOM Barry says the mentoring he received from experienced indigenous players Aaron Davey and Neville Jetta was invaluable during his first AFL listed season in 2013.

Although Barry was one of three 2013 Melbourne listed players not to make their AFL debut – Rory Taggert, who was an emergency in the final round of the season, and rookie Nathan Stark was the other – he said the now retired Davey and Jetta were strong influences this year.

Barry said Davey, who retired after an outstanding 178 game career with Melbourne, which included the 2009 best and fairest, had been particularly instrumental.

“It’s always good to have mentors. Aaron Davey being one of the great indigenous players that’s played at the Melbourne Football Club – I was pretty blessed to have him at the club, when I first arrived,” he told melbournefc.com.au.

“Aaron was around here for a long time. He’s seen the professionalism of the AFL and he’s just trying to drum that into me, and I’ve just got to be on top of everything.

“Neville spent a bit of time out in the VFL with me and he was also pretty good because he’s done the same thing.

“It’s a tough sport, so he’s told me what to do – whether it’s extra stuff - whatever it is, that’s every aspect of being an AFL footballer.  I’ve got to maintain that throughout the pre-season and the whole year, and that’s the main thing that he taught me.”

A likable youngster with a sense of fun, Barry is also aware when he needs to be serious, and that was impressed upon him by both Davey and Jetta. 

“I show that side as well, but I’ve got to be serious in what I do, because this is my job,” he said.

“I’ve got to take my job seriously and when it comes down to the serious stuff, I’ve got to do that.

“There’s always time to bubbly, but there’s also times to be switched on and do what you’ve got to do.”

Barry was acquired from Greater Western Sydney in the Jesse Hogan deal last year, as he was in GWS’ Northern Territory zone, having grown up in Alice Springs.

But he spent time with North Ballarat before he joined the Demons, and was already in Victoria.

In fact, Barry moved to Victoria when he was 14 years old, initially to pursue a tennis career.

“It hasn’t been too bad [moving to Melbourne]. At 14, it was a lot tougher than what it is now,” he said.

“I had my brother with me, who moved down as well. He was 16, when I was 14, so that made it a lot easier than just moving down by myself.

“I made a lot of friends quickly in Ballarat, and that made the move a lot easier, too. Having the support networks in boarding schools in Ballarat made it a lot easier as well. In saying that, I got a little bit of homesickness at the start, but I got past that because of the support around me all the time.”

And now that he has a year in the AFL system and received some strong support, the midfielder/forward is determined to make his AFL debut in 2014.