Danny Weidler
25 August 2018 — 10:00pm
It’s known as the Harbord Hilton – it’s real name is the Harbord Beach Hotel – and it’s the favoured watering hole of Manly’s coaching brains trust,
Trent Barrett and
John Cartwright.
Locals have reported sightings of the pair to this column time and again. It’s hard to know if they were talking game plans, discussing the shortcomings of the club or just catching up as mates.
What is certain is Barrett is caught in another world where it was OK to get on the drink with those he manages and seemingly OK to bully and play pranks on people. Barrett was there on the night when one of his best mates,
Willie Peters, was so upset about ongoing alleged bullying by trainer
Dan Ferris that he ended up belting him.
Peters had complained to Barrett about Ferris – several times – in the lead-up to the night that cost him his job, but nothing had changed. Feeling ostracised and helpless, and after a few drinks in The Rocks – where Barrett was present – he took matters into his own hands. It was the wrong thing to do, but obviously Peters felt Ferris had gone too far.
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To say Peters felt let down by his close mate, Barrett, is an understatement. They are no longer mates. Peters is the type to forgive, but not to forget.
Barrett was also out with the boys on the night
Daly Cherry-Evans ended up in a Gladstone hotel room with
Jackson Hastings. DCE’s actions, after attending a strip club, ultimately cost him a $10,000 fine from the club.
I asked Barrett at the time if they had permission to go out and he said no. But the players went anyway. Barrett later said he was comfortable with the players being out because they were with a security guard.
Those close to the club say Barrett was too close to the playing group – or elements of it – and that the line between friend and coach was blurry. Barrett liked to tell people he had the key to the team.
But when the engine was spluttering he started to look elsewhere other than at the driver.
The job certainly got harder for him when he lost his backer and adviser, Manly patriarch
Bob Fulton. Barrett was hired by Fulton, but word got back to ‘‘Bozo’’ that Barrett was not happy with the roster at his disposal.
Being offside with Fulton is never going to be tenable, and there is no doubt that relationship breakdown has hurt Barrett. He lost Fulton as a sounding board and as someone who could influence the club and strong-arm his way through tough situations.
Fractured relationship: The breakdown between Bob Fulton and Trent Barrett robbed the coach of a valuable mentor.
Photo: NRL Photos/AAP
Fulton would also have advised him on the best way to deal with the Hastings-Cherry-Evans situation, which derailed the club. Fulton could have helped Barrett negotiate a way through the current player split where there is a divide between those who back Cherry-Evans and those who don’t like him, namely
Marty Taupau, the club’s best and most important forward.
So when Barrett said he didn’t have the right support in the job to be a success, that is true. But there have been other issues swirling about throughout his tenure.
Manly are ready for the legal letters and challenge that will come their way. There will be accusations from Team Barrett that Manly didn’t deliver on the promises they made or give the coach the support promised. Manly say they are confident they have met every request and are not concerned they will look stupid when the list of grievances finally becomes public.
), or how much of my own $$$ I’ve spent on gear like dive sticks or pool toys, on the off chance it might be the thing that helps a particular kid make a breakthrough.
