Johnny88
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‘I don’t know how he doesn’t collapse’: Lani awed by Payne’s strength in adversity
Origin star Payne Haas is carrying the hopes of his state – and the future of his daughter and younger brothers – on his broad shoulders with a heavy sadness in his heart.
www.smh.com.au
Trent’s Achilles Eel
It was surprising that Trent Barrett was in the running for the Eels job, given he was part of the coaching team headed by Brad Arthur deemed not good enough to take Parramatta forward.
Barrett had very average results in his last two coaching jobs, at Manly and Canterbury, and did well to land a gig at Parramatta.
Barrett’s results were not the only issue. He was seen to be too close to his players at Manly and in 2017 was the coach when one of his assistants, Willie Peters, complained of being bullied at the club and departed by mutual consent. Barrett also complained publicly about club facilities while at the Sea Eagles.
Things didn’t improve at the Bulldogs, where the club floundered under his coaching.
Where it gets interesting is that Barrett tried to mount a charm offensive to help him get the Parramatta job. We will never know if Barrett asked Clint Gutherson and Mitchell Moses to support him publicly, but either way the backing of two of the club’s star players did not endear him to Eels powerbrokers, as they don’t want player power to factor in the process of finding a new coach. In other words, the players’ involvement backfired.