Manly’s timing in going for a coach who is not ‘one of their own’ appears to be a good one. Manly over the years have tended to pick a coach who is ‘one of them’, former players who hold sway around the club.
However, they appear to have recognised it’s time for something and someone different, and selected Trent Barrett as their mentor.
There may be a few problems with the selection of Barrett. For one, he is monotone and boring. Imagine listening to his pre-game talk and trying to stay awake through it.
Then going to have to go out there and play a physical sport or 80 minutes half alseep. It’s little wonder they didn’t score a point for the first 60 minutes against Canterbury.
Barrett is a rookie coach. He has had a few years under Ivan Cleary at Penrith which was a mixture of success and struggle. He coached NSW Country Origin, but coaching the Country team would be similar to going on a school camp and having a game of footy at the end of it.
Barrett walks into an environment where the fans will turn on you if you aren’t wanted. Jason Taylor had a nervous year as halfback there in 2000 before the fans voted him out. He took Parramatta to a grand final a year later under less scrutiny.
Barrett will need to keep Bob Fulton onside, almost to the point of becoming a ‘yes’ man for Fulton. One thing that all of rugby league knows, is that Fulton is untouchable. Despite winning only one series of the last ten as an Origin selector, Fulton’s position remains unquestioned. No-one dares mention that his ideas may be better served to 20 years ago or that NSW needs fresh ideas. Nobody is allowed to.
Manly, by the looks of things, have done the right thing in branching out and recruiting a coach who isnt a Manly man. But have they picked the right one?
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
James Tedesco will be free for the next game of the Sydney Roosters' inconsistent NRL campaign after escaping suspension for tripping Ryan Papenhuyzen. The…
Sky Sports commentator Jon Wilkin has criticised the yellow card handed to a shocked Luke Yates, saying it should have just been a penalty.
St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan has said Zac Lomax should be in the discussion when it comes to Origin selection.
Queensland often has the right mix of generational talent, playmaking brilliance and these nuts-and-bolts players that bind them together like glue.
There are few greater sledges you can give an NRL team than calling them pretenders but the Cowboys will not be contenders until they…
The Parramatta coach was furious with his side after coughing up a first-half lead and going on to lose 44-16 in an embarrassing second-half…
