Vlasnik
Kennel Legend
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2011
- Messages
- 10,442
- Reaction score
- 8,181
From key holes in rosters to the hunters becoming the hunted, every NRL coach has an important question to answer ahead of the 2021 Telstra Premiership race.
Read on for the question every NRL club’s coach must answer.
BULLDOGS - How far can Barrett go in year one?
There’s virtually nowhere to go but up in 2021 for the Bulldogs. Having only avoided the wooden spoon by half a shandy, this season was a nadir for this once feared NRL powerhouse. That’s the bad news. The good news is that in Trent Barrett, Canterbury-Bankstown have a young and promising coach on the rise.
He’s already better for the run, albeit ill-fated, in charge of Manly, where he learned a lot about managing men and managing boardrooms. With a politically charged boardroom like that which gathers in Belmore, he’ll need the experience.
But in between, Barrett re-established himself as one of the best offensive minds in the game. He’s oft-credited with transforming the Panthers attack that bullied its way to the minor premiership and fell just short of the ultimate prize. And the players like him; that you can see so many of the young Penrith stars linked to a Belmore switch tells you everything you need to know on that front.
But as exciting an appointment as Barrett may be, expectations should be tempered in 2021. Barrett is a coach for the long-term, not a quick fix. He must be given time; patience is the watch word west of the Harbour Bridge. Barrett’s goal this season need not be the top eight. Simply, he needs to bring this squad together and find out exactly what this roster is made of. He needs to see a team that works hard, works for one another and buys into his program.
He also needs to develop Kyle Flanagan into their halfback for the future. Some may see his acquisition as a gamble on a young man who experienced a failure to launch at the Roosters. But he’s talented, he’s keen to prove people wrong and he could be the key to Barrett’s future.
Matt Burton is on his way but not until 2022; so too Josh Addo-Carr. Again, patience. The Bulldogs also need to identify and sign a first-class hooker, something which probably won’t happen for another 12 months. As long as they play hard and Flanagan looks like a capable starting half, it’ll be a big tick for Barrett in 2021.
For anyone interested in reading the rest of the article, click the link below
www.foxsports.com.au
Read on for the question every NRL club’s coach must answer.
BULLDOGS - How far can Barrett go in year one?
There’s virtually nowhere to go but up in 2021 for the Bulldogs. Having only avoided the wooden spoon by half a shandy, this season was a nadir for this once feared NRL powerhouse. That’s the bad news. The good news is that in Trent Barrett, Canterbury-Bankstown have a young and promising coach on the rise.
He’s already better for the run, albeit ill-fated, in charge of Manly, where he learned a lot about managing men and managing boardrooms. With a politically charged boardroom like that which gathers in Belmore, he’ll need the experience.
But in between, Barrett re-established himself as one of the best offensive minds in the game. He’s oft-credited with transforming the Panthers attack that bullied its way to the minor premiership and fell just short of the ultimate prize. And the players like him; that you can see so many of the young Penrith stars linked to a Belmore switch tells you everything you need to know on that front.
But as exciting an appointment as Barrett may be, expectations should be tempered in 2021. Barrett is a coach for the long-term, not a quick fix. He must be given time; patience is the watch word west of the Harbour Bridge. Barrett’s goal this season need not be the top eight. Simply, he needs to bring this squad together and find out exactly what this roster is made of. He needs to see a team that works hard, works for one another and buys into his program.
He also needs to develop Kyle Flanagan into their halfback for the future. Some may see his acquisition as a gamble on a young man who experienced a failure to launch at the Roosters. But he’s talented, he’s keen to prove people wrong and he could be the key to Barrett’s future.
Matt Burton is on his way but not until 2022; so too Josh Addo-Carr. Again, patience. The Bulldogs also need to identify and sign a first-class hooker, something which probably won’t happen for another 12 months. As long as they play hard and Flanagan looks like a capable starting half, it’ll be a big tick for Barrett in 2021.
For anyone interested in reading the rest of the article, click the link below
Dressing room politics; second-year syndrome: Question every coach must answer
Dressing room politics; 2nd-year syndrome: Question every NRL coach must answer
www.foxsports.com.au
Last edited:
