Barrett has just returned to Australia after a two-year stint in Super League with the Wigan Warriors. He will now play for the Cronulla Sharks and he has spoken highly of his time in the UK.
Super League came under fire from the Aussie media due to England's World Cup failings but Barrett has been quick to talk up the competition's strengths.
Barrett the one-time golden boy of the NRL has said his two seasons spent with Wigan was a "magnificent experience" and has warned NRL players thinking of following suit that it is a tough environment.
Barrett says: "I have not got any regrets about going to play for Wigan because I had a terrific time there. I learned a lot. the people of the town welcomed me and the supporters were first-class.
"They are certainly very knowledgeable about their rugby league. For a player, it is a big challenge in a really tough league. I learned a lot from my time in Super League.
Domination
"In Super League, there is a little bit more time with the ball as there is a not as much emphasis on the wrestle and the domination of the ruck.
"They are still playing at a very quick pace similar to the NRLwas three or four years ago before all the wrestling coaches got hold of everything.
"It does enable you to play a bit more and something I am going to have to adapt to is playing back here under slightly different rules and the different way the game is played. I probably enjoyed the game in England more, it was a very good experience."
Barrett missed out on both the Grand Final and Wembley while at Wigan. He was a contender for the coveted Man of Steel title in his first season at Wigan.
He was also outstanding in the play-offs at the end of last season but returned home empty-handed and faces a new challenge at Cronulla.
Barrett's glowing praise for Super League is echoed by ex-Wigan boss Ian Millward.
He says: "During the World Cup, I kept telling people in Australia, the English players were far better than their World Cup performances kept suggesting."
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welcome words from one who has played in both hemispheres. Jason Robinson said that England should have had a tougher test before venturing to Oz. I agree. And that tougher test could be accomplished by a match against a side made up of overseas players taken from the Super league. Torred
Of course its enjoyable,and why wouldn't he prefer it, its 5 yards slower and you don't get hit as often, not to mention the fact that his contract is worth more than twice as much with the currency conversion, and then he gets paid through some obscure bank in Austria or somewhere and doesn't pay tax.Sorry to sound so cynical.
Its great for Trent,and everyone enjoys watching him, but what are our aims? Have we not got a goal to challenge Australia. Maybe not, maybe its just silly old expat poms that get worked up by getting continuously flogged and embarrassed by Australian sides that play the game at a completely different level.
No doubt Trent will go back and feel recharged,why wouldn't he he's just had a three year holiday and collected a fortune. He'll probably perform pretty well for his swan song season then retire. But where does it benefit England? All its done is kept a young lad out of first grade, just another English lad missing out. No matter what spin we put on it all we're doing is robbing our own and keeping our stocks low.
I won't let up, and maybe I'll upset a few but it has to be in the games interest to lift our game. By telling everyone what we have is so good and leaving assumptions that quality will suffer by lifting our game is merely making excuses for our inability to improve. Do we not want to produce our own Thurston, Lockyear, Slater or anyone of a dozen other standouts. Stop having ourselves on, lets make it happen.