Post Playing
Barnes retired from competitive rugby league in 1968 having made seventeen appearances for his adopted country and 234 appearances for the Tigers in which he averaged four goals per game. After three unsuccessful Grand Final outings during his time, the Tigers ironically won their first premiership in twenty-one years in Barnes' first year after retirement – 1969.
He continued an active role in rugby league and in 1976 became Secretary-Manager of the Balmain Leagues Club and in 1984 took up the role of Chief Executive of the football club. Barnes was the first ex-Kangaroo captain to manage the Australian side on the 1990 Kangaroo tour. At the turn of the century Barnes was honoured with selection in the Balmain's 'Team of the Century' and in the Wests Tigers' 'Team of the Century". The yearly award for the best back at the Wests Tigers club is named the Keith Barnes Medal in his honour.
In 2007 he was inducted into the Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame. In February 2008, Barnes was named in the list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players (1908–2007) which was commissioned by the NRL and ARL to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia.
On 26 January 1996, he was named a Member of the Order of Australia in "recognition service to rugby league as a player and administrator". On 24 October 2000, he was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his rugby league achievements.
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