Manly Sea Eagles coach Trent Barrett: 'Everybody pretended there wasn't a split in the team

[EaglesDontTweet]

SMH 11-08-17 Andrew Webster

Manly Sea Eagles coach Trent Barrett: 'Everybody pretended there wasn't a split in the team - but there was'

Almost two years ago, Trent Barrett walked into the Harbord Beach Hotel and sat down at a table in the front bar.

The iconic pub with peeling peach paint on its exterior is better known as the Hilton. "The House of Knowledge" is how former Manly player and long-time official Peter "Zorba" Peters describes it.

For decades, long before the days of skinfolds and breathalysers before training, Sea Eagles players would fill the bar of the Hilton and conjure ways to become one of Sydney's most successful and equally despised teams.

Barrett was only a few weeks into his tenure as Manly coach when he plopped down on a stool, sitting on his own. Nobody came near him.

One of the locals sitting near the window finally broke the tension. "I hope you've got more friends in 12 months," he said.

Welcome to the northern beaches, coach.

Full story link: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...-the-team--but-there-was-20170810-gxtybn.html

 

[Woodsie]

Great read. Just a good ole country boy ... with real values.

 

[manlyfan76]

Barrett jumped up on a pool table then started doing push ups to win himself some friends.

 

[manly al]

Maybe a case of Outsider versus Insider syndrome at the time , however i am sure that the overwhelming majority of Manly supporters definitely regard Trent in a very well respected and positive way now and very much as an Insider now.

 

[Woodsie]

Just shows Baz has a pair ... if I had moved into the area I might have started trying to win over the bar of the Curl Curl bowling club ... not gone straight to the top at the Hilton .... talk about a hard school ... I'm surprised they didn't tell him he was in someone's seat.

 

[HappilyManly]

....
There was talk of split groups in the team and that was something I had to manage when I first got here, because everyone pretended it wasn't there — but it was there.

I always knew there was a leader in Chez but he was kept in his box. Through the real successful era of the Stewarts [Glenn and Brett] and Jamie Lyon, it had been their club.
....
Not after losing seven straight. He didn't feel like an NRL coach then.

"I was thinking, 'Am I cut-out for this? It can't be this hard'," Barrett reflects. "There was stuff off the field, on the field, our senior players weren't playing ...

"I remember Wayne Bennett was once asked what was most important about coaching. He said 'perseverance'
....

Barrett is an outsider no more. He says he wants to become a long-term coach at Manly, despite being linked to Canterbury, although a two-year extension is yet to be signed.

"Good to see you've signed on again," says one enthusiastic local as he walks past our table, right on cue.

Barrett laughs.

"Not yet, mate. Not yet."

 

[eaglebuzz]

Just confirms so many of my suspicions about the way the 2005-13 crowd were tanking it because they didn't like that they were no longer getting it their way.

I hope he signs that extension! 2 years doesn't seem long enough either. Can't let the dogs steal our coach again, that would be unacceptable.

 

[Harvies elbow]

Good to see webbys writing properly again.
Baz is a lot more old school than he looks.
Watched the 87 GF at the Hilton after a surf. Bloody hot that day.
Special place.

 

[NLSeaEagle]

I think DCE will always have issues with certain blokes in any and every team he plays for..............................my impression is he is just a little smarter than your average Rugbly League playing neanderthal....

As much as I loved (and worshipped) the rugby league of guys like Watmough and the Stewart boys...................they were thick as pigsh**!!

You can understand that they wouldn't have warmed to DCE.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

And herein elucidated the reason certain players aren't required to hang around this year even though they are contracted.

 

[BOZO]

The next 4 games leading into the semi finals will reveal which players are made of the "right stuff" for Trent to build a premiership team with .

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

I think DCE will always have issues with certain blokes in any and every team he plays for..............................my impression is he is just a little smarter than your average Rugbly League playing neanderthal....

As much as I loved (and worshipped) the rugby league of guys like Watmough and the Stewart boys...................they were thick as pigsh**!!

You can understand that they wouldn't have warmed to DCE.

Don't agree with that at all. Plenty of examples of smart players who are popular with their teammates. And DCE seems to be well accepted by the current bunch.

 

[Harvies elbow]

And herein elucidated the reason certain players aren't required to hang around this year even though they are contracted.

Geez go easy. Sum ov us were edicated buy da gummint.
Wots werds too and free mean?

 

[eaglebuzz]

I think DCE will always have issues with certain blokes in any and every team he plays for..............................my impression is he is just a little smarter than your average Rugbly League playing neanderthal....

As much as I loved (and worshipped) the rugby league of guys like Watmough and the Stewart boys...................they were thick as pigsh**!!

You can understand that they wouldn't have warmed to DCE.

"Footballers like playing with footballers," says one former teammate. "He's a politician. Who's writing his speeches?"

I'd be willing to bet that Watmough was the player who contributed that quote to Webster's "Charm Offensive" article earlier this year.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Geez go easy. Sum ov us were edicated buy da gummint.
Wots werds too and free mean?

Herein means in here. Lot of people get confused with that one.
I'm not sure what elucidate means, can you look it up for me?

 

[Harvies elbow]

Herein means in here. Lot of people get confused with that one.
I'm not sure what elucidate means, can you look it up for me?

No if I did it'd make it all clear.
I think it's something one experiences after eating mushy's.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

 

[Freagle]

Mick Monaghan got the same treatment, as I recall. He read books before a game...and was branded a "weirdo" because of it. Though having said that, his brother did have sexual relations with a canine, so maybe there was a little more to it...

 

[cherry_poppins]

Mick Monaghan got the same treatment, as I recall. He read books before a game...and was branded a "weirdo" because of it. Though having said that, his brother did have sexual relations with a canine, so maybe there was a little more to it...

Another tiny bloke with more heart than most props

 

[damiennp90]

I find it hard to believe Matai and Killer didn't put in last year.

When was DCEs first year ? 2011?

Killer was over training. And Matais injuries caught up with him.

It's snake who I thought didn't put in on the field.

But who knows. I'll forgive them for the legends they were. But the last few years were definitely disappointing.