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150 senior games, but all Baz really wants is another win
By AGRON LATIFI
April 15, 2004
ST George Illawarra skipper Trent Barrett is hoping he can turn back time and celebrate his 150th game in first grade on Sunday like he did his first, with a win over Penrith.
As an 18-year-old, Barrett came off the bench in his debut game to help the Illawarra Steelers wallop the Panthers 42-2 back in 1996 at Steelers Stadium.
Eight years down the track and the Dragons five-eighth has again set his sights on celebrating a milestone game by downing Penrith, now NRL premiers, at WIN Stadium.
While Barrett is hoping for a similar result to the first time he played the Panthers, he does not want everything from that game repeated..
"I got coathanged by some bloke (Gordon Falcon) pretty much the first time I touched the ball," he said.
He got suspended for 10 weeks I think, I won't forget that.
"It was a good day though - I remember they (Steelers) were having a good win when I came on late in the game.
"I played half-back, actually, and Timmo (Shaun Timmins) was five-eighth."
The fact that Sunday's game is being billed as a Steelers heritage game just adds to the occasion for Barrett.
"It is a bit of a coincidence that it is all happening on the one day but it is good and I'm sure it will be one I won't forget," he said.
"I'm really looking forward to playing, especially playing back here on a day with a lot of history."
The international, who has returned from a minor knee injury to guide the Dragons to back-to-back wins over Newcastle and Wests Tigers in the last two weeks, said it should be no surprise that 10 of St George Illawarra's 17-man squad for the Panthers game were former Illawarra juniors.
"It is a big rap for the South Coast, we've certainly done well with the number of players we've managed to get into first grade."
Since joining the Steelers from Temora as a 15-year-old, Barrett has not only almost reached that 150-game milestone for Illawarra and the Dragons, he has represented NSW five times and Australia in seven Test matches.
But, while that is a resume most NRL players would be proud of, the 26-year-old "remains unsatisfied".
"The only thing I want to achieve (before retiring) is to win the comp," Barrett said.
"That's probably my biggest goal, I think about it a lot.
"We certainly have the side that can do it. And by knocking off these guys (Penrith) on Sunday it will give all of us the confidence that we can achieve that dream of winning the comp," he said.
Looking forward to leading St George Illawarra to a third straight win, Barrett applauded the club's moves to re-sign coach Nathan Brown.
"I think he has certainly improved again as a coach this year and he is really handling the job well and I think he is going to be one of the better coaches in the next few years," he said.
http://illawarramercury.com.au/articles/2004/04/15/1081838827267.html
By AGRON LATIFI
April 15, 2004
ST George Illawarra skipper Trent Barrett is hoping he can turn back time and celebrate his 150th game in first grade on Sunday like he did his first, with a win over Penrith.
As an 18-year-old, Barrett came off the bench in his debut game to help the Illawarra Steelers wallop the Panthers 42-2 back in 1996 at Steelers Stadium.
Eight years down the track and the Dragons five-eighth has again set his sights on celebrating a milestone game by downing Penrith, now NRL premiers, at WIN Stadium.
While Barrett is hoping for a similar result to the first time he played the Panthers, he does not want everything from that game repeated..
"I got coathanged by some bloke (Gordon Falcon) pretty much the first time I touched the ball," he said.
He got suspended for 10 weeks I think, I won't forget that.
"It was a good day though - I remember they (Steelers) were having a good win when I came on late in the game.
"I played half-back, actually, and Timmo (Shaun Timmins) was five-eighth."
The fact that Sunday's game is being billed as a Steelers heritage game just adds to the occasion for Barrett.
"It is a bit of a coincidence that it is all happening on the one day but it is good and I'm sure it will be one I won't forget," he said.
"I'm really looking forward to playing, especially playing back here on a day with a lot of history."
The international, who has returned from a minor knee injury to guide the Dragons to back-to-back wins over Newcastle and Wests Tigers in the last two weeks, said it should be no surprise that 10 of St George Illawarra's 17-man squad for the Panthers game were former Illawarra juniors.
"It is a big rap for the South Coast, we've certainly done well with the number of players we've managed to get into first grade."
Since joining the Steelers from Temora as a 15-year-old, Barrett has not only almost reached that 150-game milestone for Illawarra and the Dragons, he has represented NSW five times and Australia in seven Test matches.
But, while that is a resume most NRL players would be proud of, the 26-year-old "remains unsatisfied".
"The only thing I want to achieve (before retiring) is to win the comp," Barrett said.
"That's probably my biggest goal, I think about it a lot.
"We certainly have the side that can do it. And by knocking off these guys (Penrith) on Sunday it will give all of us the confidence that we can achieve that dream of winning the comp," he said.
Looking forward to leading St George Illawarra to a third straight win, Barrett applauded the club's moves to re-sign coach Nathan Brown.
"I think he has certainly improved again as a coach this year and he is really handling the job well and I think he is going to be one of the better coaches in the next few years," he said.
http://illawarramercury.com.au/articles/2004/04/15/1081838827267.html
;-)
