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Bulldogs
NRL 2021: Trent Barrett won’t reveal Jake Averillo’s future role as Bulldogs await Matt Burton arrival
He may be the designated five-eighth this season but the Bulldogs are yet to settle on Jake Averillo’s best role in 2022 and beyond as they await the arrival of Matt Burton.
Canterbury coach Trent Barrett has insisted the noise surrounding Matt Burton’s arrival to the club has not had an impact on Jake Averillo, but he wouldn’t be drawn into the future role of the rising playmaker in the side.
Local junior Averillo, who has re-signed with the Bulldogs until the end of 2023, is the man expected to make way for Penrith’s Matt Burton when he lobs in Belmore.
But Barrett, who will take on Penrith on Saturday for the first time since helping guide the side to a grand final appearance in 2020, was only prepared to lay out a short term plan when asked about Averillo’s best position moving forward.
Trent Barrett says he was more than happy with Averillo against the Knights.
“This week he will be in the halves, round three, he’ll be in the halves, round four, he’ll be in halves,” Barrett said.
Averillo came through the junior ranks in the halves and has made no secret of his ambitions to play at five-eighth at the NRL level.
When asked about the constant speculation surrounding Burton’s potential early release from Penrith and whether the headlines had an impact on Averillo, Barrett said: “No, he is going good. He’s a good little player, Jake.”
“He did a good job for us last week. He is an athletic kid, he can play in a number of positions. He can play fullback, he can play centre and he does a good job at five-eighth as well. We need him to play well this week.
“It was his third game starting in the halves, it’s a big learning curve for him but he is doing well.”
Since joining Canterbury as head coach, Barrett has lured boom halfback Burton to Belmore on a lucrative two-year deal from season 2022. Barrett also signed former Penrith forward Jack Hetherington.
The Bulldogs are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Matt Burton
Despite Burton’s deal not kicking in until November 1, Canterbury have been pushing for an early release for the 21-year-old to join the Bulldogs this season.
There has been speculation the signature of Hetherington and Burton, plus the Bulldogs’ pursuit of Spencer Leniu and Stephen Crichton, has put a strain on Barrett’s relationship with Panthers coach Ivan Cleary.
But Barrett insisted his relationships with Cleary and others at his former club has not soured.
“It’s all right. It is what it is. I have to do what’s best for Canterbury. I work here and my loyalties lay here and always will be,” Barrett said.
“The relationships out there are still good.”
Barrett also denied he and Cleary had “tense” words during a phone conversation in early February over Burton’s immediate future.
Trent Barrett says his relationship with Penrith has not soured
“There were no tense words,” Barrett said.
“We had a phone call a couple of months ago but I speak to a few people regularly over at Penrith. I have spent a lot of time out there and I do know them very well.”
While Barrett admitted not to have spoken to Cleary “for a couple of months”, the Canterbury coach did reveal he and Burton are in contact.
Burton is rated as an NRL quality talent but at Penrith he is stuck behind halves Jarome Luai and Nathan Cleary. Burton was again named in Penrith’s NSW Cup side this weekend.
NRL 2021: Trent Barrett won’t reveal Jake Averillo’s future role as Bulldogs await Matt Burton arrival
He may be the designated five-eighth this season but the Bulldogs are yet to settle on Jake Averillo’s best role in 2022 and beyond as they await the arrival of Matt Burton.
Canterbury coach Trent Barrett has insisted the noise surrounding Matt Burton’s arrival to the club has not had an impact on Jake Averillo, but he wouldn’t be drawn into the future role of the rising playmaker in the side.
Local junior Averillo, who has re-signed with the Bulldogs until the end of 2023, is the man expected to make way for Penrith’s Matt Burton when he lobs in Belmore.
But Barrett, who will take on Penrith on Saturday for the first time since helping guide the side to a grand final appearance in 2020, was only prepared to lay out a short term plan when asked about Averillo’s best position moving forward.
Trent Barrett says he was more than happy with Averillo against the Knights.
“This week he will be in the halves, round three, he’ll be in the halves, round four, he’ll be in halves,” Barrett said.
Averillo came through the junior ranks in the halves and has made no secret of his ambitions to play at five-eighth at the NRL level.
When asked about the constant speculation surrounding Burton’s potential early release from Penrith and whether the headlines had an impact on Averillo, Barrett said: “No, he is going good. He’s a good little player, Jake.”
“He did a good job for us last week. He is an athletic kid, he can play in a number of positions. He can play fullback, he can play centre and he does a good job at five-eighth as well. We need him to play well this week.
“It was his third game starting in the halves, it’s a big learning curve for him but he is doing well.”
Since joining Canterbury as head coach, Barrett has lured boom halfback Burton to Belmore on a lucrative two-year deal from season 2022. Barrett also signed former Penrith forward Jack Hetherington.
The Bulldogs are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Matt Burton
Despite Burton’s deal not kicking in until November 1, Canterbury have been pushing for an early release for the 21-year-old to join the Bulldogs this season.
There has been speculation the signature of Hetherington and Burton, plus the Bulldogs’ pursuit of Spencer Leniu and Stephen Crichton, has put a strain on Barrett’s relationship with Panthers coach Ivan Cleary.
But Barrett insisted his relationships with Cleary and others at his former club has not soured.
“It’s all right. It is what it is. I have to do what’s best for Canterbury. I work here and my loyalties lay here and always will be,” Barrett said.
“The relationships out there are still good.”
Barrett also denied he and Cleary had “tense” words during a phone conversation in early February over Burton’s immediate future.
Trent Barrett says his relationship with Penrith has not soured
“There were no tense words,” Barrett said.
“We had a phone call a couple of months ago but I speak to a few people regularly over at Penrith. I have spent a lot of time out there and I do know them very well.”
While Barrett admitted not to have spoken to Cleary “for a couple of months”, the Canterbury coach did reveal he and Burton are in contact.
Burton is rated as an NRL quality talent but at Penrith he is stuck behind halves Jarome Luai and Nathan Cleary. Burton was again named in Penrith’s NSW Cup side this weekend.
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jury out has done nuthin' as yet.
