Trent Barrett - Playing Career

Playing Career

While attending St Gregory's College, Campbelltown, Barrett played for the Australian Schoolboys team in 1995. He started his professional career in the 1996 ARL season 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. Barrett was the stand-out player of the 1998 Illawarra Steelers season, top scoring with 18 tries and winning the BHP Medal as player of the year.

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. He played at halfback in the Dragons' 1999 NRL Grand Final loss to Melbourne. With the shock departure of Mundine from the Dragons 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.

In 2005 Barrett made history during the Tri-Nations by becoming the first ever Kangaroo to be sin binned twice in one matchHe 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, 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 Medal contention.

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-Sutherland 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. 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. Barrett announced his retirement on 22 July 2010.

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