NRL: Trent Barrett says he is committed to joining Bulldogs next season

Trent Barrett says he is fully committed to joining Canterbury next season despite the infighting that continues to plague the club.

Trent Barrett won’t be taking Phil Gould’s advice about going to the Bulldogs

Trent Barrett says he is 100 per cent committed to Canterbury and has praised chief executive Andrew Hill and the board of directors for their support amid claims he should walk away from his agreement to join the club next year.

Barrett told The Australian via text that he would honour his deal to join the Bulldogs despite the infighting that continues to plague the club

“Andrew Hill and the board have been nothing but supportive and very professional,” Barrett wrote. “I‘m all in and looking forward to it.”

Canterbury chair Lynne Anderson added: “We are all very much looking forward to Nov 1 when he is officially a Bulldog.”

Former Canterbury coach Phil Gould claimed on the Nine Network on Monday night that Barrett should reconsider his decision to join the Bulldogs given the drama that continues to shadow the club.

The Bulldogs have struggled on the field in recent years but the infighting off the field has arguably been worse. Anderson took over as chair with the goal of uniting Canterbury, but she has been unable to bring together the factions and is now facing her own challenges.

Unless something changes, Barrett will walk into a club at war.

“I’m sure that Trent Barrett doesn’t know what he’s getting himself into and if I was associated with Trent Barrett in any way, shape or for­­­m I think I’d be advising him to reconsider his decision,” Gould told Nine’s 100% Footy.

“I just think this is going to deteriorate into a real mess in the coming weeks, and I just can‘t see a way out. I think it’s just too much for him to take on at this time, given what happened to him at Manly, and given that his next NRL appointment is very, very important.

“He‘s in a really good club at the moment at the Panthers, he’s got a great role and is doing a tremendous job. I’d be nearly inclined to decline it and go back to where he is and just wait a little bit more time because the Bulldogs is an absolute mess. Behind the scenes it is a toxic mess.”

There had been suggestions Gould had recommended Barrett for the job.

“No, I didn‘t, I did not recommend him to the club,” Gould said.

“Paul Dunn approached me and said they had several options, and asked me to give an appraisal on the options. I gave Trent a rap because he’s a very good coach and I rate him very highly. What he’s done for the Panthers has been outstanding.

“But these young blokes they want to jump into the first job they can get. There’s only 16 jobs a year, it’s more money than he’s earning at the moment, he’s got family and commitments and I can understand the desire to get in there and think he can do something with the Bulldogs. But right at the moment, behind the scenes, nothing is working.”