After a year in Melbourne, which aside from a few games socially was his first year away from footy in two decades, Barry is back in his comfort zone - surrounded by the yellow and black of the Orange Tigers.

"You wouldn't believe me but I don't like talking in front of people so I have to be in my absolute comfort zone to do it and this must be it because I'm got plenty to say and plenty of thoughts on how we should be doing things," Barry said.

Barry took the reins of the Tigers' coach after 2018 premiership-winning coach Dale Hunter stepped back following the 2019 decider, and a large part of his decision to coach was to help grow the game.

The spearhead full-forward, who during his last season in 2018 was arguably the best player in the competition, said he'd be happy sitting on the sidelines if that helps more people grow as footballers, and as part of that he's absolutely backing the return of the second tier in 2020.

The Tigers will have a second side as part of that lower tier, and Barry thinks having another side is essential for both the club and the competition - even if it means his side isn't on top.

"I guess I don't care what happens at the end of the year with either club winning, but I'd like to see the competition grow and I want to see more people playing footy," he said.

"Having two, three, four teams in Orange and the same in Bathurst with the other guys following suit will only be good."

Barry was playing in 2015, which was the last year of the reserves competition, and said despite the frustration with the lower division the game had lost a lot of reserves, older players, under 17s and former juniors.

"Those fringe players are the people we need playing footy," he said.

"You've got the people who just want to have a kick and the people who want to put in the hard yards.

"I'm happy for both people to play and I don't think we're helping footy in the region without both. It might be a stretch this year but it's something they need to work towards."

That top-end talent is also suffering as a result of forcing everyone into the single tier.

"I think we've lost a lot of the top end talent because of the one rung of footy, you see people going off to other places for more competitive footy and it's kind of a mediocre benchmark," he said.

"Keeping the two tiers alive lets both people play."

As for the Tigers in 2020, Kirky Phillips is about the only player still around the club from just five years, with massive overhaul in the playing list following the Orange three-peat from 2013-15, but that only means more excitement for the former full-forward, with numbers as strong as they've been at preseason in several years.

"I think we've got a lot to work with, and show the things I've learned over a fair bit of time and we can try and get some improvement out of some guys who are pretty keen moving forward with their footy," he said.

"They had a bit of a freshen up in my last year and then again last year, it's a good energy."