AlzzBulldog
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WHY BRITISH BULLDOG WASN’T A FAN OF BARRETT
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Canterbury Bulldogs’ Luke Thompson wasn’t a fan of Trent Barrett
Fatima Kdouh, The Daily Telegraph
July 21, 2020 5:34pm
Star Canterbury recruit Luke Thompson has admitted he wasn’t always a fan of Trent Barrett, the man set to be take over as Bulldogs head coach.
The Englishman doesn’t know much about Barrett as a coach but does remember the new Bulldogs boss making life hell for St Helens as a Wigan player. Barrett played 60 games for Wigan in the English Super League in 2007 and 2008.
Thompson, a mad St Helens supporter growing up, still remembers the impact Barrett had in the fierce derby between the northern England clubs.
“I don’t know too much about Trent Barrett as a coach, from what I’ve seen he’s a good fellow. I watched him when he had his time at Wigan,” Thompson said.
“He was fantastic when he was at Wigan, he was a great player over there. I grew up following St Helens, he used to terrorise us a bit so he was good as a player.”
Unlike Thompson, teammate Sione Katoa has an intimate knowledge of Barrett’s capabilities as a coach from his time at Penrith.
Barrett coached Katoa in the Holden Cup under 20s competition in 2014, during his first stint at the foot of the mountains as an assistant between 2012 -2015.
Canterbury forwards Corey Harawira-Naera and Chris Smith also featured in that under 20s outfit.
The hooker praised Barrett’s appointment and believes the coach’s ‘footy brains’ could be the key to unlocking the Bulldogs’ splattering attack.
“He’s a halfback, he has a lot of brains, [knows] a lot different player and how the game works and you can see it at the Panthers and what he has brought to them this year. Baz [Barrett] will bring the more attacking side of things and I think from there on the players just take over,” Katoa said.
Barrett has been credited for helping the ladder-leading Panthers turn around their attacking form in season 2020.
According to Fox Sports Lab, Canterbury only score 1.9 tries per game compared to Penrith’s 4.1.
But the Bulldogs are also struggling in other key attacking areas – they currently make the fewest tackle busts [138] in the competition and have only made one more linebreak [28] than the Gold Coast Titans.
One player that could inject some life into Canterbury’s attack is Penrith’s livewire playmaker Matt Burton. The halfback is contracted until the end of next year but Katoa said his addition to Canterbury’s roster as the club rebuilds was a move worth considering.
“I played a couple of games towards the end of the [NSW CUP] season in 2019 with Burto,” Katoa said.
“He’s got a good running game and kicking game, they’re probably the best aspects of his game. He can also read the game pretty well and he just plays footy, he’s one of those players that plays eyes-up footy.”
Barrett spent three seasons as head coach at Manly but quit the club at the end of 2018 after his relationship with the board deteriorated over the lack of resources to his job.
At the time, questions were also raised about Barrett’s man management but Katoa believes the incoming coach is the right mentor for players at Canterbury.
“He gave me confidence. He helped me with backing myself and being confident in the plays [I was trying to execute] and in whatever I did on the field, it was just to be confident and to do it a 100 per cent,” Katoa said.
Fatima Kdouh, The Daily Telegraph
July 21, 2020 5:34pm
Star Canterbury recruit Luke Thompson has admitted he wasn’t always a fan of Trent Barrett, the man set to be take over as Bulldogs head coach.
The Englishman doesn’t know much about Barrett as a coach but does remember the new Bulldogs boss making life hell for St Helens as a Wigan player. Barrett played 60 games for Wigan in the English Super League in 2007 and 2008.
Thompson, a mad St Helens supporter growing up, still remembers the impact Barrett had in the fierce derby between the northern England clubs.
“I don’t know too much about Trent Barrett as a coach, from what I’ve seen he’s a good fellow. I watched him when he had his time at Wigan,” Thompson said.
“He was fantastic when he was at Wigan, he was a great player over there. I grew up following St Helens, he used to terrorise us a bit so he was good as a player.”
Unlike Thompson, teammate Sione Katoa has an intimate knowledge of Barrett’s capabilities as a coach from his time at Penrith.
Barrett coached Katoa in the Holden Cup under 20s competition in 2014, during his first stint at the foot of the mountains as an assistant between 2012 -2015.
Canterbury forwards Corey Harawira-Naera and Chris Smith also featured in that under 20s outfit.
The hooker praised Barrett’s appointment and believes the coach’s ‘footy brains’ could be the key to unlocking the Bulldogs’ splattering attack.
“He’s a halfback, he has a lot of brains, [knows] a lot different player and how the game works and you can see it at the Panthers and what he has brought to them this year. Baz [Barrett] will bring the more attacking side of things and I think from there on the players just take over,” Katoa said.
Barrett has been credited for helping the ladder-leading Panthers turn around their attacking form in season 2020.
According to Fox Sports Lab, Canterbury only score 1.9 tries per game compared to Penrith’s 4.1.
But the Bulldogs are also struggling in other key attacking areas – they currently make the fewest tackle busts [138] in the competition and have only made one more linebreak [28] than the Gold Coast Titans.
One player that could inject some life into Canterbury’s attack is Penrith’s livewire playmaker Matt Burton. The halfback is contracted until the end of next year but Katoa said his addition to Canterbury’s roster as the club rebuilds was a move worth considering.
“I played a couple of games towards the end of the [NSW CUP] season in 2019 with Burto,” Katoa said.
“He’s got a good running game and kicking game, they’re probably the best aspects of his game. He can also read the game pretty well and he just plays footy, he’s one of those players that plays eyes-up footy.”
Barrett spent three seasons as head coach at Manly but quit the club at the end of 2018 after his relationship with the board deteriorated over the lack of resources to his job.
At the time, questions were also raised about Barrett’s man management but Katoa believes the incoming coach is the right mentor for players at Canterbury.
“He gave me confidence. He helped me with backing myself and being confident in the plays [I was trying to execute] and in whatever I did on the field, it was just to be confident and to do it a 100 per cent,” Katoa said.
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another good positive article
cookieman909
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Seems Barrett will be coach and young Burton will be coming across 2022. Hopefully next season. Will be a good start.
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Pretty unprofessional, hasn't been officially announced yet the players are giving comments like this lol
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Alan79
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I wouldn't assume that we're getting Burton. Sounds like whoever wrote the article just asked Katia his opinion about him and Barrett.
KLil
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I'd be happy with TPJ
That could work
Family Guy
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He'll give us some mongrel along with Thompson....and let's not forget the mongrel we already get from the 3 stooges in Tolman, Napa and Elliot
B-Train
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I'm surprised you and others would want TPJ. He's very talented but he has no brain and is suspended every few weeks for stupid reckless penalties. He also misses a shit load of tackles.
He can offload really well, and is a tackle breaking forward that we need but he has no discipline. I wouldn't complain if we signed him but I'd rather someone like Taupau who would be cheaper and way more reliable.
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Imagine a frontrow paring of Thompson/TPJ...that's why I'd take him. A lot of his issues can be worked on and eased out of his game. Reported 600k at the Broncos, get him anywhere under 450k and that's potentially a very good buy imo. Tapau is 30 and still has a few years on his contract, not sure how much cheaper you would get him considering he is a set on starter for the Eagles.
B-Train
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Oh I certainly wouldn't complain. But I don't know how much that stuff will be coached out of TPJ. It just seems to be who he is. If he ever got some discipline he could easily be a top 5 forward. I don't think the Broncos would need to pay any of his salary to move him. Some club would probably pay the full 600k for him.
2144superman
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The only thing with TPJ is that every time he sneezes now it is an automatic few weeks suspension because of his own stupidity and brain fades. He has put a line through his own in regards to commanding big $$
B-Train
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For sure it would hurt his value to some clubs but he was looking at a 750k deal before and accepted 600k because of his suspensions etc. So I think a desperate club like the Warriors, Titans or Saints would pay him close to the 600k in spite of his flaws as the market is so shit right now.