AFL star John Barnes joins Pauline Hanson's One Nation as a candidate

By NICHOLAS COMINO, POLITICAL REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 05:39, 19 August 2026 | Updated: 05:49, 19 August 2026 Former AFL premiership player John Barnes will contest the key seat of Essendon for Pauline Hanson's One Nation at the 2026 Victorian state election. Barnes, celebrated for his successful AFL career with Essendon and Geelong, was named One Nation's candidate as the party steps up its campaign. The 52-year-old played 202 AFL games across more than a decade. Starting with Geelong, he debuted in 1992 and was part of the Cats squad that reached the 1994 grand final under coach Gary Ayres. He joined Essendon in 1997 and became an important figure during one of the club's golden eras.  Mainly playing as a ruckman and key position player, he appeared in all 24 matches in Essendon's dominant 2000 premiership season, helping the Bombers secure one of the most emphatic grand final victories in AFL history. Barnes was also part of Essendon's 2001 grand final team and remained a regular contributor during the club's back-to-back grand final campaigns.  Over his AFL career, he kicked 113 goals and built a reputation as a dedicated and hard-working teammate. After retiring, Barnes stayed involved in his local community, winning a seat on Moonee Valley Council in 2024, following work as a garbage collector for Hume City Council. Pauline Hanson has secured an AFL star for her One Nation team  John Barnes (pictured) will run as a candidate for One Nation in the Victorian seat of Essendon  In recent years, he has spoken openly about long-term health challenges he links to repeated concussions and head knocks from his AFL career.  Barnes has described his battles with epilepsy, memory loss and neurological problems, joining a number of former players calling attention to ongoing risks of head trauma in sport. Barnes joins an increasingly competitive race in Essendon, where Labor's Katerine Theodosis and Liberal candidate Tommy Le Deux are also in the running for what is expected to be a closely contested seat, following the retirement of incumbent and former finance minister Danny Pearson.  'Hardworking Australians are under pressure, and too many feel they are being left behind,' Barnes says on his candidate profile. A strong advocate for tougher law and order, Barnes said victims should come first and promised a 'zero-tolerance' stance on repeat offenders. 'I will speak honestly, stand by my principles and put people before politics.' 'No lies. No spin. No excuses.' Barnes's campaign comes as One Nation launches a fresh slate of Victorian upper house candidates alongside leader Pauline Hanson, aiming to expand its foothold in the state. John Barnes (pictured) played in all 24 games of Essendon's 2000 Premiership team  Momentum has been building for the party in Victoria ahead of the November election. A DemosAU/PremierNational poll taken 6–11 August found One Nation attracting 22 per cent of the primary vote - edging ahead of the Greens and within reach of Labor. The Liberal-National Coalition, headed by Opposition Leader Jess Wilson, led with 32 per cent, while Labor under new Premier Ben Carroll was on 23 per cent. If those figures hold at the 2026 election, One Nation could be set for its strongest ever Victorian result and a surge in influence in the upper house.