My two penneth on the situation (snipped from my comment on the Sharks forum)…
Binning Barrett off is absolutely the best thing for the Dogs future. Binning off dead wood like Naden is also the right thing to do. The problems at the Bulldogs are not of Gus’s making, and what he’s doing are the right things - personally, I just think he’d have been better coming out with that as the reason and owning the decision - his issue is he’s got a relationship with Trent and doesn’t want to ruin their relationship, publicly blame him or ruin his chances of future employment, and that’s what all the smoke and daggers have been about, but that makes him look devious and untruthful.
He said when Barrett took the job, it was the wrong job at the wrong time for him - he was correct then, and he’s correct now.
Trent was supposed to be the saviour, poor Dean Pay was royally shafted by the Dogs, made to coach with a goosed cap, and when Trent arrived, he had a ‘warchest’…. And he spuffed it on nuffies generally. But even then, this years squad, on paper, is better than they’re performing.
Gus has made the right call to get a Barrett out and let a more capable coach do something with the current squad (plus Mahoney and Kikau next year), and more importantly, build something with the amount of spare cap they have coming available in the next couple of years. Gus will also get the focus on development and pathways, which have been a shambles for a club the size of the Dogs.
I genuinely think if he just did what he needs to do and didn’t try protect people or his relationships, the grief wouldn’t come. 3 weeks ago, the media were calling for Barrett’s head, then as soon as it’s done, they’re giving Gus grief for the way he’s got rid of Barrett…. It’s the right call…
Binning Barrett off is absolutely the best thing for the Dogs future. Binning off dead wood like Naden is also the right thing to do. The problems at the Bulldogs are not of Gus’s making, and what he’s doing are the right things - personally, I just think he’d have been better coming out with that as the reason and owning the decision - his issue is he’s got a relationship with Trent and doesn’t want to ruin their relationship, publicly blame him or ruin his chances of future employment, and that’s what all the smoke and daggers have been about, but that makes him look devious and untruthful.
He said when Barrett took the job, it was the wrong job at the wrong time for him - he was correct then, and he’s correct now.
Trent was supposed to be the saviour, poor Dean Pay was royally shafted by the Dogs, made to coach with a goosed cap, and when Trent arrived, he had a ‘warchest’…. And he spuffed it on nuffies generally. But even then, this years squad, on paper, is better than they’re performing.
Gus has made the right call to get a Barrett out and let a more capable coach do something with the current squad (plus Mahoney and Kikau next year), and more importantly, build something with the amount of spare cap they have coming available in the next couple of years. Gus will also get the focus on development and pathways, which have been a shambles for a club the size of the Dogs.
I genuinely think if he just did what he needs to do and didn’t try protect people or his relationships, the grief wouldn’t come. 3 weeks ago, the media were calling for Barrett’s head, then as soon as it’s done, they’re giving Gus grief for the way he’s got rid of Barrett…. It’s the right call…
