The Canterbury Bulldogs are set to decide on coach Trent Barrett’s future this week and The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio expects the call to have wide-reaching effects at Belmore.
Before joining the Bulldogs on a three-year deal in 2021, Barrett was an assistant under Ivan Cleary at Penrith, the same club where playmaker Matt Burton started his career before shifting across.
As Burton was convinced to join the Bulldogs through Barrett, Riccio expects the club’s pending call on the coach to impact the five-eighth’s future at Canterbury – particularly as he comes off-contract at the end of next year.
“It’s huge, it’s absolutely huge,” Riccio said in regards to Burton’s future on SEN 1170 Breakfast.
“Let’s think about Matt Burton for a moment, this morning he’s driving to training.
“He’s signed at this footy club to play under Trent Barrett, he is the one who dragged him over after working with him at Penrith, now he’s driving to training not knowing who the coach is going to be.
“He’s playing in a footy team that can’t strike a blow and he’s off-contract basically from November 1, he can take himself to open market, he can go to the highest bidder.”
As Burton can sign with rival clubs for 2024 onwards from November 1 this year, Riccio expects the playmaker to depart the club should Barrett face the axe.
“I think it’s dangerous ground we’re on with Canterbury and Matt Burton, I think we’re going down a path where Burton leaves the club on the back of this decision,” Riccio said.
“That’s why this decision is so huge, because it doesn’t just impact the club, it impacts their highest-profile player and their most talented player.”
SEN host Andrew Voss believes Canterbury’s 2023 campaign will be a “write off” should Burton already have his bags packed for the following season.
“If he signs with another club for 2024 in November or December of this year, write off the Bulldogs next year,” Voss said.
“That’d be a low blow for the Bulldogs and their fans.”
A decision on Barrett’s future is expected as early as this Wednesday with crisis talks taking place on Monday.