Barrett faces dismissal while calling emergency meeting on Bulldogs coach’s future

Top officials at the club will meet early Monday to decide whether Trent Barrett’s future as Canterbury coach will be up for grabs.

The DRLs are anchored at the bottom of the NRL ladder with a 2-8 record after a 16-6 loss to Newcastle in the opening match of the Magic Round on Friday night and are looking at the possibility of their second straight wooden spoon under Barrett.

Club chairman John Khoury is expected to meet with general manager Phil Gold earlier this week to discuss whether Barrett’s role should continue. Gold, who coached Barrett at the State of Origin Arena on NSW in the early 2000’s, was a staunch advocate for the former Kangaroos’ five-eighth team and recently said he would coach the team for a long time.

He was contracted until the end of the following year, but despite the arrival of high-paid recruits this year, including Josh Ado-Carr, Matt Burton, Tevita Pangai Jr., Brent Naden, Paul Vaughan, Matt Duffy and Braden Burns, he has been unable to do so. Turn the team’s fortunes around.

William Kikau and Reed Mahoney of Canterbury are coming to the club next year.

After successfully serving as Penrith’s assistant under Evan Cleary, they were far from averaging a record 3-21 last season in Barrett’s first season.

“I sound like a broken record when his side went down against Newcastle without a seven-match win,” Barrett said after Friday night’s loss.

“It’s the same every week and it’s not good enough. I think everyone does (needs to improve). We’re just making too many mistakes and making it too hard for ourselves. “

Former Raiders coach David Ferner is with Barrett’s staff as an assistant and could be parachuted into the lead role if the Bulldogs’ power brokers change.

The Dogs will be battling fellow West Tigers at Leachhart Oval next Friday, so if Barrett stays in the gig, Belmore will have the last nail in the coffin in his time.

North Queensland has a number of former first-grade coaches looking for new jobs, including 2015 Premiership-winner Paul Green and 2016 Grand Final winner Mentor Shane Flanagan.

Flanagan’s son, Kyle, was sent back to the Canterbury NRL squad in a controversial round 5 match but his form was irresistible as the dog was bad at scoring points.

Barrett’s previous tenure as NRL coach ended in 2018 in Manly after a dispute with management over the club’s assets.