Bulldogs captain Josh Jackson has described outgoing coach Trent Barrett as the “most complete” coach he’s ever had, as he blamed the squad for the team’s poor start to the season. NRL.
Key points:
- Trent Barrett has resigned as Bulldogs coach after the club’s poor start to the season
- Captain Josh Jackson says Barrett had player support
- Mick Potter has been named interim head coach of the Bulldogs
Barrett resigned as Canterbury manager on Sunday, before the club held a board meeting to discuss his future at Belmore.
“As far as I know the board was going to sit down on Monday and discuss the future and the results – I asked if I could speak to them and let them know [Barrett] has the support of all the players,” Jackson said.
“I don’t feel disappointed with Trent. I understand his position, but I would like Trent to be here, obviously.
“He’s the most complete coach I’ve ever had – a great communicator, motivator, great foot intelligence – he’s been fantastic for me.”
Jackson said he felt blindsided by Barrett’s departure and seemed upset when speaking to the media about the coach being responsible for the team’s performance.
“It’s the players [who] are responsible. We’re the ones on the field and we’re the ones not delivering the results,” Jackson said.
The Bulldogs started the season with a 2-8 win-loss record, while the team managed just five wins in 34 games under Barrett’s tutelage.
Two days before the clash with the Wests Tigers, former Bulldogs player Mick Potter came to replace Barrett as interim head coach.
“I think he’s a fantastic addition, a premiership winner, he’s won two premierships here and he’s got a lot of experience as a head coach,” Jackson said. “And he brings an outside perspective, which I think is good.”
One of the few veteran single-club players in the NRL, Jackson has been part of the fabric of the Bulldogs since 2012 and saw Dean Pay and Des Hasler leave as head coach before Barrett quit.
Jackson said there was a Groundhog Day element to Barrett’s departure, but denied there was a cultural issue at the club.
“If there was a cultural problem here, we would be beaten by 60 every week,” he said.
“A lot of games we’ve been in, we’ve only lost by a small margin.
Languishing at the bottom of the ladder with the same win-loss record as this weekend’s opponents, Jackson refused to be struck out with 15 rounds to go.
“We have two choices: we can use this as an excuse for poor performance and poor preparation or we can come together and go out there and win. [The latter is] what we plan to do,” Jackson said.
“We don’t need to change too much. It’s round 11. We have a lot more football to play this year. As things stand we have three wins out of the top eight, we don’t So we didn’t give up on the season.”
As for Barrett’s future, Jackson said he hopes another club takes him.
“He’s a fantastic coach and I hope he doesn’t give up,” he said.
“I hope he continues because he has a lot of value to add.”
