Trent Barrett spray the wake-up call Manly Sea Eagles required
SMH August 15 2017 - 6:14PM
Rugby League
Trent Barrett isn't one to rant or rave. So when the usually mild-mannered coach gave his Sea Eagles a rare spray, it was all the more effective.
Manly players were sheepish when they returned to the sheds after blowing a 20-6 halftime lead to the then last-placed Wests Tigers last weekend. They threw away not only two competition points but also a potential top-four finish that came with them, again leaving them walking the finals tightrope. It was their third loss from four matches and was everything their previous second-half performance - a stunning come-from-behind victory against the Roosters - was not.
Barrett wasn't happy. Asked about his address, one of his few blow-ups since taking over on the northern beaches, playmaker Blake Green said he would need to "filter" the spray to make it appropriate reading.
"Yeah, it was a decent one," Green said.
"He's got some in him and it was a decent one.
"He doesn't rant and rave, he's just direct with his feedback, He tells the truth and tells it how it is … (It wasn't) disbelief, just disappointment. We put ourselves in a good position with 40 minutes to go and then we let ourselves down.
"He highlighted that everyone needs to play their role and need to keep things going, keep playing footy and keep applying pressure. We didn't do it."
Teammate Jake Trbojevic added: "No he wasn't (happy). I don't think anyone was very happy, it was a disappointing game to blow that halftime lead.
"He's had a couple (of sprays). He doesn't do it very often.
"We could see he was frustrated and everyone was."
It has been a big year for Barrett. He came into the season under pressure after taking over from local legend Geoff Toovey, overseeing a 13th-placed finish in his rookie year. Most pundits expected a similar result in 2017 but, if the Sea Eagles can reclaim their early-season form, a top-four finish isn't beyond them.
Such has been the transformation that he has been linked with a coaching switch to this week's opponents, Canterbury.
"They worked it out on purpose, I'm telling you, these rumours come out on purpose (at this time)," Green quipped.
"We haven't even spoken about it, to be honest. A lot of that stuff, we don't even pay too much attention unless we get told about it by Trent. I don't pay attention to anything else I hear."
Barrett is contracted to Manly until the end of next year but his players want him to stay put longer than that.
"He's a great coach, I love playing under him. I hope he's my coach for forever," Trbojevic said.
"He's brought the boys together, he's really good tactically. He's very passionate, you can see it means the world to him so you obviously love playing for him.
"It's been good that we can turn it around this year because everyone was giving it to him even when we always had faith in him.
"It's good he's starting to get the credit he deserves. It's good to see."
SMH August 15 2017 - 6:14PM
Rugby League
Trent Barrett isn't one to rant or rave. So when the usually mild-mannered coach gave his Sea Eagles a rare spray, it was all the more effective.
Manly players were sheepish when they returned to the sheds after blowing a 20-6 halftime lead to the then last-placed Wests Tigers last weekend. They threw away not only two competition points but also a potential top-four finish that came with them, again leaving them walking the finals tightrope. It was their third loss from four matches and was everything their previous second-half performance - a stunning come-from-behind victory against the Roosters - was not.
Barrett wasn't happy. Asked about his address, one of his few blow-ups since taking over on the northern beaches, playmaker Blake Green said he would need to "filter" the spray to make it appropriate reading.
"Yeah, it was a decent one," Green said.
"He's got some in him and it was a decent one.
"He doesn't rant and rave, he's just direct with his feedback, He tells the truth and tells it how it is … (It wasn't) disbelief, just disappointment. We put ourselves in a good position with 40 minutes to go and then we let ourselves down.
"He highlighted that everyone needs to play their role and need to keep things going, keep playing footy and keep applying pressure. We didn't do it."
Teammate Jake Trbojevic added: "No he wasn't (happy). I don't think anyone was very happy, it was a disappointing game to blow that halftime lead.
"He's had a couple (of sprays). He doesn't do it very often.
"We could see he was frustrated and everyone was."
It has been a big year for Barrett. He came into the season under pressure after taking over from local legend Geoff Toovey, overseeing a 13th-placed finish in his rookie year. Most pundits expected a similar result in 2017 but, if the Sea Eagles can reclaim their early-season form, a top-four finish isn't beyond them.
Such has been the transformation that he has been linked with a coaching switch to this week's opponents, Canterbury.
"They worked it out on purpose, I'm telling you, these rumours come out on purpose (at this time)," Green quipped.
"We haven't even spoken about it, to be honest. A lot of that stuff, we don't even pay too much attention unless we get told about it by Trent. I don't pay attention to anything else I hear."
Barrett is contracted to Manly until the end of next year but his players want him to stay put longer than that.
"He's a great coach, I love playing under him. I hope he's my coach for forever," Trbojevic said.
"He's brought the boys together, he's really good tactically. He's very passionate, you can see it means the world to him so you obviously love playing for him.
"It's been good that we can turn it around this year because everyone was giving it to him even when we always had faith in him.
"It's good he's starting to get the credit he deserves. It's good to see."
