Trent Barrett interview: Canterbury coach responds to Kyle Flanagan ‘disappointing’ and ‘comical’ critics
In his first interview since recalling Kyle Flanagan, Canterbury coach Trent Barrett reveals his reasons for the decision and responds to Phil Gould’s claims he made the call.
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Kyle Flanagan has dominated headlines this week. His coach Trent Barrett has come under fire from some quarters for bringing the no.7 back against the defending premiers Penrith on Sunday.
Barrett clears the air ahead of Flanagan’s first game this season.
Question: Can you explain the decision to bring Kyle back into the side?
Trent Barrett: He has done really well. He deserves his spot. Our reserve grade is undefeated and he has been a big part of that. I am happy for him. What better way than against Penrith
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To change your halves pairing so quickly early in the season, did you feel it wasn’t going to work?
There are a few reasons behind it. There are some things we think Kyle can bring to this game in particular. He has been knocking on the door for a month. It was always the plan. We had a plan in and around it. He has done really well. The boys are happy for him.
The criticism that has been levelled at you in terms of the game you’re bringing him back in, has that been unfair?
We want to win and we will pick the best team that we think can win that game. As was the case from round one to four and will be the case for the rest of the year. We’d like the focus to be on how well Kyle has played and how he deserves his spot. I am sure he wants to play NRL and he gets a chance this week.
How would you describe some of the commentary around Kyle’s selection?
Disappointing. We’d like to be looking at the other side of it. Celebrating how hard Kyle has worked to get back into the team. I know he has worked hard and I know the last 12 months have been difficult. He has played well in Canterbury Cup. We’ve rewarded a few guys who have played well.
Trent can you clear up a few things. How much time has Kyle spent training with the first grade side?
We’ve got a top 30 and four development players. They train together every day.
Has he done a lot of reps with Matt Burton?
(Jake) Averillo and (Brandon) Wakeham have been the halves in Kyle’s position in the last month so obviously they are going to be doing a lot of the ball work. Our top 30 train together every day and have done since whenever we came back. There’s no issue.
Phil Gould spoke (see below) about the decision to keep Kyle away and him out of the spotlight. Can you talk about that?
It was and discussions we had with Kyle and people close to Kyle. We thought he needed time to work on things in his game. To his credit he has done it. That is where the focus should be. Not on the rest of the innuendo. He has earned his spot.
You said the focus should be on what he has done, so what did you want from him in reserve grade to earn his spot back?
He has controlled our reserve grade team really well. He has played on the ball at halfback. We are four from four … it’s hard to ignore that sort of form. It was coming. We had a plan what to do with Kyle and it’s worked. He finds himself back in first grade where everyone wants to be.
How has Kyle taken the commentary this week?
It’s pressure he doesn’t need. In what should be a week where he should be proud of himself. He is and we are.
Have you sat down with him and said you will give him an extended run of games?
We don’t have to have those conversations. He is a grown man. We all need to perform and play well. You need stability in your halves. We would’ve loved to have that. We’ve got to pick teams we think can win on the weekend. Whether it’s a month, two months, 10 years - hopefully it’s 10 years - but the onus is on our players. You have to perform.
We’ve spent five minutes on this and it has been headlines all week, are you surprised by the reaction to Kyle being picked?
Very surprised
What aspects of him game will help against Penrith?
His direction. Our attack inside 20 has been a little bit ordinary. That’s a strong part of Kyle’s game … we don’t just pull the names out of the hat when we are picking teams. A fair bit goes into it. I want to remind you all that I want to win too. That’s what is so comical about it.
You spent a large chunk of your playing career in the spotlight, what do you learn out of that to pass on to Kyle?
It’s part of the deal in our position for our all first graders. It’s worse than when I played given social media, the number of media outlets and the 24/7 football shows that need content each night for people to watch them. I get that. I’ve got a team to worry about. That’s my main focus. I’m not worried about the other stuff.
Gus (Gould) was forthright in coming out saying don’t blame Trent it was my call. Do you feel like he was trying to take pressure off the team, yourself?
I think so. Gus is the GM here and we discuss a lot of things. It was good for him to go out and say what he said. We do work closely together.
WHO’S IN CHARGE? GUS’ BIZARRE FLANAGAN ADMISSION
- By Brent Read
Canterbury head of football Phil Gould has moved to take the target off coach Trent Barrett and shift it onto his own back by suggesting he and he alone is responsible for the handling of halfback Kyle Flanagan’s NRL return.
Flanagan will wear the Bulldogs’ No.7 jersey for the first time since August last year when he runs out against Penrith at Commbank Stadium on Sunday night, his return accompanied by claims the club has failed in its duty of care to the 23-year-old.
The suggestion from some quarters has been that Flanagan has been set up to fail given his return will come against the undefeated defending premiers. Gould lashed those claims on his weekly podcast on the Wide World of Sports website, revealing he had told Barrett not to consider Flanagan for first grade selection and his return only came after the coach sought permission to turn to Flanagan to partner Matt Burton against the Panthers.
“To be brutally honest, I am the one who has controlled the Kyle Flanagan off-season and preparation, and I am the one who has made this decision about when and where he comes back into first grade,” Gould said on the Six Tackles With Gus podcast.
“Trent wanted him in the side, but he came and asked me for permission to do it. I could have easily said, ‘no if I didn’t think he was ready’. I said yes.”
“So it’s my responsibility for how Kyle has been prepared for this season and when he comes back into the NRL. Not Trent Barrett, not the Bulldogs. That’s me.
“If [critics] want to come at me with duty of care and coaching and development of players - and I’ve developed a few players in my career - then I’m happy to debate them anywhere, anytime.
“But this vitriolic and vehement attack on our coach and on the club, it won’t be tolerated. If they want to come at anyone, come at me.”
Gould may get his wish. Some will no doubt now question whether Barrett has his hands tied as coach of the side.
“Over the past four weeks of the competition, Kyle has improved every week,” Gould said.
“Our reserve grade side is undefeated…. it has been scoring a lot of points. So when I get a call on Monday morning from the coach saying can I pick Kyle, I said why do you want to do that.
“He gave me the reasons. Trent Barrett’s reasons were clear. I said yeah, you can pick him this week.
“Kyle Flanagan doesn’t need this type of pressure coming into the game. He’s under no pressure from us and no pressure when he plays for us.”
Gould revealed he had taken a personal interest in Flanagan when he arrived at the club. He has had a long-standing relationship with Flanagan’s father Shane and manager Wayne Beavis, and met both in the preseason.
He also spoke to Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson and chair Nick Politis as well as officials at Cronulla - Flanagan previously played at both clubs. He suggested Flanagan would now be given time to show he can lead the Bulldogs out of their current malaise.
“Kyle Flanagan will play his game and we’ll adapt to that,” Gould said.
“That’s what you do when you have a chief playmaker - Kyle Flanagan will be the chief playmaker in the side.
“Right now, from what I’ve seen over the last 18 months, he’s more ready now than what he has ever been. There is absolutely no pressure on him this weekend. This is not a one-off, this is not a perform-or perish type situation.
“He’s been given time to relax, he’s been given time away from the spotlight, he’s been given time to find his game and find his legs again. He’s produced some outstanding numbers on the weekend.
“This rubbish that he’s thrown to the wolves - what’s the alternative? Kyle Flanagan is not a rookie, Kyle Flanagan turns 24 this year, he’s played 43 first-grade games.
“Kyle Flanagan is the best credentialed, the most experienced and the best prepared of all the halfbacks in our club to take on this role, not only for this week but into the future.
“You’d like to think that from now on, Kyle Flanagan can establish himself as the No.1 playmaker in our club and hold on to the No.7 jersey for as long as possible.
“That’s what he has been bought to do, that’s what he’s been trained to do.”
BULLDOGS PREPARE PLAN D IN CASE FLANAGAN FAILS
- Dean Ritchie
The pressure continues to mount on Bulldogs halfback Kyle Flanagan.
The Daily Telegraph has been told Canterbury’s football department has deliberately and strategically named utility player Bailey Biondi-Odo at halfback in the NSW Cup as a backup measure should Flanagan struggle in the NRL.
Biondi-Odo has never started an NRL match at halfback and this is the first time he has played a NSW Cup game.
It is a clear sign that Biondi-Odo is the next player to be considered at halfback should Flanagan fall short in first grade.
Biondi-Odo would become Canterbury’s Plan D at halfback.
Amid much controversy, Flanagan has been named Canterbury halfback for Sunday’s match against Penrith at CommBank Stadium.
The Bulldogs desperately hope Flanagan can nail down a top grade position but are carefully considering their options should he stumble.
Biondi-Odo is being groomed to be a halfback. Sources close to the club say senior Bulldogs officials wanted Biondi-Odo chosen in the number seven position in NSW Cup.
Given his selection at number seven, Canterbury clearly believe Biondi-Odo could now become a full-time halfback.
Biondi-Odo’s NSW Cup appearance this Sunday will be as a curtain-raiser to the Bulldogs-Panthers NRL game, which kicks off at 6.15pm.
The two players used at halfback this season – Jake Averillo and Brandon Wakeham – have been moved to different positions in Barrett’s side. Wakeham will come off the bench against Penrith while Averillo has been named at centre.
Biondi-Odo played halfback in his junior football and it’s the position listed on his official Bulldogs profile.
But in his 13 NRL games, Biondi-Odo had come off the bench 11 times – primarily as a hooker and dummy half – with two matches as a starting five eighth in rounds 21 and 22 last year.
Bulldogs coach Trent Barrett has been heavily criticised for selecting Flanagan with many suggesting the young halfback has been “set up to fail” after being thrown in against the premiers.
The Daily Telegraph has attempted to contact Barrett but he has not answered nor returned calls. Barrett is under heavy pressure but will speak on Friday morning at his weekly, mandatory pre-game press conference.
When asked whether he could comment on the halfback situation, Bulldogs general manager of football Phil Gould texted The Daily Telegraph to say: “No thanks.”
Former Bulldogs five-eighth Braith Anasta blasted the decision to name Flanagan.
“They’ve thrown him a hospital pass,” Anasta told Fox Sports. “He (Flanagan) hasn’t done one session with them in pre-season in the halves. That’s the mail we’ve got.
“I’ve played in the halves for nearly 300 games, I know what it’s like. You’ve got to build confidence and belief in your players. You’ve got to cuddle your halves, you’ve got to look after your halves.
“They’ve put a centre in front of him, they’ve put Wakeham in front of him. They haven’t trialled him in the trials next to (Matt) Burton.
“They’ve made him feel like this (small), the kid was crying last year in press conferences and they throw him in against the best team of the competition by a long way and say: ‘Do your best.’
“I think it’s wrong. I hope he kills it but I’ve been there, I’ve lived it and I don’t like it, simple as that.”
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