Sport
24 November, 2025
Gladiators opt for captain-coach
THIS year’s co-coach Trent Barnard will head the Gladiators A Grade squad as captain-coach in the 2026 season after signing a two-year deal with the club.
This won’t be the first time Barnard has led the Mareeba side as captain-coach, first doing so in 2019. He said the club had approached him on a few occasions throughout the year asking him if he would consider taking on the role again.
“The club approached me about if I’d ever think about being captain-coach again, because I only really got a year or two up here, then Covid ruined that. So, there was always something still in me that wanted to have another crack at it,” the 34-year-old said.
“So yeah, it’s exciting – it’s definitely got the fire burning in me again. It’s something I really look forward to and the club was really excited too.
“I’d just like to thank the club for putting their trust in me again. I can’t wait to hopefully do well for the club and the community and put a good footy side out there next year.”
Club president Shaun Fincham said he was looking forward to Barnard continuing on with the team next season.
“At the end of the 2025 season we undertook an all of club review, it’s a time consuming and difficult process but one that’s necessary to ensure our growth moving forward,” he said.
“As a result, changes to the coaching structure have been implemented including the appointment of Trent as our A Grade coach. We are lucky to have him on board, and we’re excited for the season ahead.”
Barnard said he learnt a lot in his role as co-coach this year.
“I hadn’t really been around footy for a few years before this year, so I hadn’t seen where the club was at – depth-wise and what the A Grade side was like,” he said.
“Throughout the year, we had a good core, but then we were hammered with injuries and that sort of bled our depth a little bit.
“Outside of footy, club wise, everything is all there. It’s just changing a few things on the field and getting a bit more depth up here, which hopefully we’ll be able to do for next season.
“Judging by the interest... there’s a lot of people that want to come up here, but you’ve got to choose who you want.
“I always try and go for a good person first. You don’t want a bad egg because it can go south pretty quickly. But there’s a lot of good people it looks like that will hopefully come up – we’re starting to build a pretty good A Grade squad.
“We’ve got plenty of numbers and most of the local boys are coming back which is a real positive. Who knows what could happen next year,” he said optimistically.
Barnard has plenty experience in the rugby league world. He began his playing career at the Ivanhoe Knights in Smithfield and later signed an NRL contract with the Newcastle Knights.
After moving back home to Cairns, he put back on the Ivanhoe’s jersey and went on to win a grand final, a Gold Medal, and a top try scorer award.
He said he’s come to love the Mareeba area after living here for eight years now.
“It’s just the community and the one-club town. Everyone gets behind you up here and everyone likes chatting to you,” he said.
“Especially when you’re coaching, everyone pulls you up and wants to have a chat about the footy and that’s why I want to do well for the club and the community – because it’s all here.
“And when you start winning footy games, everyone gets behind you, there’s massive crowds here and there’s a buzz around the town – like there was this year at times when we were sitting in the Top 4, and that round we beat Atherton here.”
Barnard said his favoured position is at centre but he will see where he fits best in the side before making a decision on where he plays.
