The Parramatta Eels have announced that Trent Barrett has signed on in an assistant coaching role starting next season.
The two-year deal will see Barrett join Brad Arthur's coaching circle for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
“Trent has a wealth of football experience which he has harnessed over almost three decades as an elite player and coach, I’m sure he will contribute significantly to help enhance our football program,” Arthur said in a statement released by the club.
Barrett's new role at the Eels comes just months apart from his resignation as head coach of the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.
The decision came following a poor start that saw the Bulldogs notch up just two wins in ten matches. As well as a wooden spoon in Barrett's first year as the club's head coach.
However, his record as a head coach at Manly and Canterbury notwithstanding, Barrett has had success as an assistant coach.
In 2020, Barrett was lauded for his work as the attacking coach at the Penrith Panthers, in a year when the club finished with the minor premiership and scored more points than any other in the competition.
Parramatta Eels General Manager of Football, Mark O'Neill said that Arthur himself had pinpointed Barrett as someone who could help the team.
"Brad identified Trent Barrett as someone who could add great value to our football program. We all agreed that to be the case based on Trent’s credentials and experience," O'Neill said.
I know he will be a wonderful fit for our club as we seek to continuously improve each and every year. I look forward to welcoming Trent and his family to our club”.
Barrett's appointments comes after he was also linked with the St George Illawarra Dragons, the club he spent his playing career at.
Hilarious. Dragons are so useless they cannot even attract one of their former star players to coach. I’m not so sad as Barrett’s efforts so far have been diabolical and being assistant means didly squat for being main coach.
The only sad news is Griffin is not leaving to join him at parra. Dragons now face another ruined season, possibly 3 if Hunt’s request to extend Griffin’s tenure is accepted. The board is so useless they will certainly do so.