Trent Barrett
Encyclopedia
Trent Barrett is an Australian retired professional rugby league
footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. An Australian international and New South Wales
State of Origin representative five-eighth, he previously played for the Illawarra Steelers
before they merged to form the St George Illawarra Dragons
, with whom he continued to play, winning the 2000 Dally M Medal
. Barrett also had a two-season spell in Super League
with England's Wigan Warriors
and was named in 2007's Super League Dream Team
before finishing his career back in Australia with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.
, Barrett played for the Australian Schoolboys team in 1995.
One of the traits Barrett has shown throughout his career is his varied skills as a playmaker, able both to run with the ball in hand and also to kick accurately behind attacking defences.
Barrett burst onto the scene in 1996 with the Illawarra Steelers
, immediately attracting attention due to his obvious natural ability and potential, within two years of first grade, Barrett had already been selected to play his first State of Origin
match. His 30 tries in only 48 game period of time reflects the brilliance that he can often display.
His first season at the new joint venture of the St George Illawarra Dragons
was marred by controversy as the incessant media hype over an alleged feud with Anthony Mundine
and whether by playing out of position at half-back was affecting his form. With the shock departure of Mundine in 2000, Barrett was allowed to move back to his more comfortable position of five-eighth and his form returned which could clearly be seen by his receiving of the Dally M Medal in 2000.
At the end of the 2001 NRL season, he went on the 2001 Kangaroo tour
.
Barrett had two years left on his St George Illawarra Dragons contract, but a get-out clause enabled him to quit the club for a move to England. He signed a three year deal with the Wigan Warriors on 4 May 2006, despite their position at the bottom of the Super League and the threat of relegation to National League Division 1.
Barrett made his Wigan debut in a 16–10 defeat against Warrington at the JJB Stadium on 9 February 2007.
In October 2007, Barrett was named as the Rugby League Players' Player of the Year but missed out on the "Man of Steel" although he had been tipped to be named. James Roby
of St. Helens received the award.
Following a release from the final year of his three year contract with Wigan, Barrett signed with the Cronulla Sharks
in June, 2008, on a two-year deal, commencing in 2009. He earned the five-eighth spot for the New South Wales team in the 2nd State of Origin match that year. Barrett announced his retirement on 22 July 2010.
Following a Round 12, 2006 game against the Newcastle Knights
, Barrett was charged with a grade five striking charge on Newcastle's Brian Carney. The incident initially went unnoticed throughout the entire weekend but it is understood a Channel Nine
producer picked up the incident. Barrett was suspended for six matches, ruling him out of Dally M contention.
In his Origin comeback, Barrett was charged following a reckless tackle on Queensland
's Greg Inglis
, and as a result was suspended for two club matches. It did not however deter him from playing in the third and final Origin match in which he set up several tries as NSW
defeated Queensland in the dead rubber, Queensland having won the series with victory three weeks prior.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. An Australian international and New South Wales
New South Wales rugby league team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
State of Origin representative five-eighth, he previously played for the Illawarra Steelers
Illawarra Steelers
The Illawarra Steelers are an Australian rugby league football club based in the city of Wollongong, New South Wales. The club competed in Australia's top-level Rugby League competition from 1982, when they, along with the Canberra Raiders, were admitted into the then New South Wales Rugby Football...
before they merged to form the St George Illawarra Dragons
St George Illawarra Dragons
The St George Illawarra Dragons is an Australian professional rugby league football club, representing the St. George and Illawarra regions. They have competed in the National Rugby League since 1999 as a joint venture between Sydney's historic St. George Dragons club and 1982 expansion club, the...
, with whom he continued to play, winning the 2000 Dally M Medal
Dally M Medal
The Dally M Medal is the premier individual award in the Australian rugby league competition, which is given to the player voted by sports commentators as the best and fairest in the competition for that year....
. Barrett also had a two-season spell in Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
with England's Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
and was named in 2007's Super League Dream Team
Super League Dream Team
The Super League Dream Team is an award given each season to the players deemed to have been the best in their position in the Super League by a panel of journalists and broadcasters....
before finishing his career back in Australia with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.
Playing career
While attending St Gregory's College, CampbelltownSt Gregory's College, Campbelltown
St Gregory's College is a Catholic, secondary, day and boarding school for boys, located in Campbelltown, a south-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
, Barrett played for the Australian Schoolboys team in 1995.
One of the traits Barrett has shown throughout his career is his varied skills as a playmaker, able both to run with the ball in hand and also to kick accurately behind attacking defences.
Barrett burst onto the scene in 1996 with the Illawarra Steelers
Illawarra Steelers
The Illawarra Steelers are an Australian rugby league football club based in the city of Wollongong, New South Wales. The club competed in Australia's top-level Rugby League competition from 1982, when they, along with the Canberra Raiders, were admitted into the then New South Wales Rugby Football...
, immediately attracting attention due to his obvious natural ability and potential, within two years of first grade, Barrett had already been selected to play his first State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
match. His 30 tries in only 48 game period of time reflects the brilliance that he can often display.
His first season at the new joint venture of the St George Illawarra Dragons
St George Illawarra Dragons
The St George Illawarra Dragons is an Australian professional rugby league football club, representing the St. George and Illawarra regions. They have competed in the National Rugby League since 1999 as a joint venture between Sydney's historic St. George Dragons club and 1982 expansion club, the...
was marred by controversy as the incessant media hype over an alleged feud with Anthony Mundine
Anthony Mundine
Anthony Mundine is an Australian professional boxer and former rugby league footballer.He is the current interim WBA Light Middleweight Champion boxer, former two-time WBA Super Middleweight Champion, former IBO Middleweight Champion and New South Wales State of Origin representative footballer....
and whether by playing out of position at half-back was affecting his form. With the shock departure of Mundine in 2000, Barrett was allowed to move back to his more comfortable position of five-eighth and his form returned which could clearly be seen by his receiving of the Dally M Medal in 2000.
At the end of the 2001 NRL season, he went on the 2001 Kangaroo tour
2001 Kangaroo Tour
The 2001 Kangaroo Tour was almost abandoned due to the events of September 11, 2001. The tour was initially cancelled by the ARL but after strong public opinion in both Great Britain and Australia, it went ahead, though the only games played were the three tests, marking the first Kangaroo Tour to...
.
Barrett had two years left on his St George Illawarra Dragons contract, but a get-out clause enabled him to quit the club for a move to England. He signed a three year deal with the Wigan Warriors on 4 May 2006, despite their position at the bottom of the Super League and the threat of relegation to National League Division 1.
Barrett made his Wigan debut in a 16–10 defeat against Warrington at the JJB Stadium on 9 February 2007.
In October 2007, Barrett was named as the Rugby League Players' Player of the Year but missed out on the "Man of Steel" although he had been tipped to be named. James Roby
James Roby
James Roby is an English professional rugby league footballer for St. Helens of Super League. A Great Britain and England international representative hooker, he has played his entire professional career to date at St Helens, winning the 2006 Super League XI Championship with them.-Career:Roby...
of St. Helens received the award.
Following a release from the final year of his three year contract with Wigan, Barrett signed with the Cronulla Sharks
Cronulla Sharks
The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are Australian professional Rugby league team based in Cronulla, in the Sutherland Shire, Southern Sydney, New South Wales...
in June, 2008, on a two-year deal, commencing in 2009. He earned the five-eighth spot for the New South Wales team in the 2nd State of Origin match that year. Barrett announced his retirement on 22 July 2010.
Controversies
In 2005 Barrett made history during the Tri-Nations by becoming the first ever Kangaroo to be sin binned twice in one match He was sin binned in the first half for what he claimed was a 'nothing' incident, and was dismissed in the 70th minute for illegally tackling a Great Britain player on his way to the tryline. The Kangaroos won the match 26–14.Following a Round 12, 2006 game against the Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
, Barrett was charged with a grade five striking charge on Newcastle's Brian Carney. The incident initially went unnoticed throughout the entire weekend but it is understood a Channel Nine
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
producer picked up the incident. Barrett was suspended for six matches, ruling him out of Dally M contention.
In his Origin comeback, Barrett was charged following a reckless tackle on Queensland
Queensland State of Origin Team
The Queensland rugby league team have represented the Australian state of Queensland in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1908...
's Greg Inglis
Greg Inglis
Greg Inglis is an Australian professional rugby league player for the South Sydney Rabbitohs. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative outside back, Inglis joined the Rabbitohs in 2011 after much controversy.Inglis is a versatile back, having played in several...
, and as a result was suspended for two club matches. It did not however deter him from playing in the third and final Origin match in which he set up several tries as NSW
New South Wales rugby league team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
defeated Queensland in the dead rubber, Queensland having won the series with victory three weeks prior.
Representative games
- "Club:" Played 199 games for the Illawarra SteelersIllawarra SteelersThe Illawarra Steelers are an Australian rugby league football club based in the city of Wollongong, New South Wales. The club competed in Australia's top-level Rugby League competition from 1982, when they, along with the Canberra Raiders, were admitted into the then New South Wales Rugby Football...
and the St George Illawarra Dragons - Country: Played for country in City/Country Origin
- State Of Origin: Played 11 games in total for New South WalesNew South WalesNew South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
- International: Played 13 tests to date for Australia including the 2000 World Cup
Awards
- Dally M: Dally MDally M MedalThe Dally M Medal is the premier individual award in the Australian rugby league competition, which is given to the player voted by sports commentators as the best and fairest in the competition for that year....
Player of the Year in 2000 - Super League Players' Player of the Year 2007