When it comes to the team, who plays, who doesn't ... that's down to the coach. So yes I do think Barrett was responsible for calling time on Snake's career. 100% he was.
As for others like Buhrer, Ballin and Gutherson ... he most certainly had an input and as coach I'd wager a rather large one. Yes Bozo was probably involved in signings, and those we let go. But ultimately, if the coach doesn't want them.....
Barrett might not have been solely responsible for those we let go, but as head coach he certainly would have played a much bigger part than what you're implying that he did.
I'll go back one step...
Barrett was head coach, and in my opinion, didn't do a very good job of it. But, at the risk of sounding like Woodsie, I just don't think that anything and everything that went south during that time should be pinned 100% on him.
With further hindsight, in the last 6 seasons we have missed the finals 4 times - with Toovey, Barrett and now Hasler. Obviously there are more fundamental problems in our club.
Onto Snake's retirement. You say he was past his best, but to me he looked like a complete passenger in 2016. He was playing in preservation mode and his knees and diabetes meant he was not going to suddenly improve. You cannot have players like this playing regular NRL regardless of their status.
Would you really have preferred Barrett play Snake for the rest of the season, given that he was obviously in second gear (and still missing matches with injury)?
Then what would have happened? We couldn't give him a farewell lap as he was still contracted for 2017 and (apparently) never accepted medical retirement.
The club was still talking to their managers and RLPA in early 2017, and we had to carry both Snake and Matai on the salary cap for that year. It tells me this matter was probably a more complicated matter than was let on (i.e. blaming it on the NRL).
So yes, I think it was a no-win situation, and 100% blaming Barrett for the manner of Snake's retirement seems a bit short-sighted to me.
But that's just my opinion.