Ben Barba
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Full name | Benjamin Barba | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia | 13 June 1989|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 176 cm (5 ft 9 in)[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 91 kg (14 st 5 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby league | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Fullback, Five-eighth | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Rugby union | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Fullback | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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As of 24 January 2022 |
Benjamin Barba (born 13 June 1989)[6] is an Australian former professional dual code rugby league & rugby union footballer who last played for St Helens in the Super League. He primarily played as a fullback or five-eighth.
He was banned by both the
Barba won the Dally M Medal award for Player of the Year in 2012 while he was at the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.[8]
Barba also played for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, the Brisbane Broncos in 2014 and the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks where he was part of Cronulla's maiden NRL premiership win in the 2016 NRL Grand Final. In 2018, he won the Man of Steel Award for Super League Player of the Year while playing for St Helens. Barba is only the second man to win both the Dally M Medal and the Man of Steel award, after Gavin Miller.
Barba also had a brief stint in
Early years
Barba was born in
At a young age, Barba and his family moved from Darwin in the Northern Territory to Mackay in Queensland. During his time in Queensland he played all of his junior rugby league for the North Devils, Mackay and attended Mackay State High School and St Patrick's College, Mackay. He also played Australian Rules at both primary and secondary school competition level in Mackay as a goal kicking forward, though with limited opportunities to participate in the sport, he followed Hawks in the Australian Football League.[10]Rugby league career
Barba signed with the Bulldogs in 2007 at the age of 18 and joined the club in the middle of the 2007 season. In his first season at Belmore, Barba played in the Jersey Flegg competition, where he scored 130 points in 11 games.[11] Barba played 26 games, scored 38 tries, kicked 93 goals and two fields goals for 340 points in his U20s career from 2008 to 2009.[12]
2008
In his second season with the Canterbury side, on 9 January 2008, Barba signed a contract extension keeping him at the club till the end of the 2010 season.
Barba made his NRL debut for Canterbury in Round 20, against the
2009
Barba started the season in first grade under new coach
with one try from 4 games.2010
Barba started the season as a regular first grade player. In Round 3 against the Sydney Roosters, Barba came off the interchange bench and scored a hat trick of tries in the Canterbury club's 60-14 massacre win at ANZ Stadium, earning "The X-Factor" tag after his exciting performance in the match.[22][23] In Round 5, Barba scored a sensational try when halftime was approaching in the Bulldogs heartbreaking try on full-time 30-24 loss to the New Zealand Warriors.[24] In Round 11, Barba started for the first time in the season at halfback in Canterbury's 31-16 loss against the Penrith Panthers.[25] Barba finished Canterbury's low performing season with him playing in 21 matches and scoring 15 tries, being Canterbury's standout player.
2011
At the beginning of the
It was announced on 20 July that Barba had signed a contract extension at the Canterbury club until the end of the 2015 season.[29][30] In Round 25, Barba scored two tries in the 32-22 win against the Newcastle Knights in a thrilling second half comeback after they were trailing 22-6 at halftime. Barba scored a try when he chased down a Jonathan Wright cross over kick which was going to go over the dead ball line before Baraba reached out his arms and placed the ball down millimetres away from the deal ball line.[31] In Round 26, with Canterbury just missing out of a top eight spot, Barba scored a mercurial four tries in the 36-22 win against the Canberra Raiders at ANZ Stadium in retiring Canterbury captain and second rower Andrew Ryan last ever game.[32] Barba finished the year with him playing in 24 matches and scoring 23 tries, being the season's equal top try scorer with South Sydney Rabbitohs winger Nathan Merritt.[33] Barba played on the interchange bench in the Prime Minister's XIII squad to play against Papua New Guinea at the end of the year.[34]
2012
Barba began the year by playing for the NRL
2013
On 9 February 2013, Barba played for the NRL
2014
On 14 February 2014, Barba was selected in the
2015
On 13 February, Barba played at five-eighth for the Indigenous All Stars in the 2015 All Stars match at Cbus Super Stadium.[68] The Indigenous side won 20-6 over the NRL All Stars.[69] In Round 1 of the 2015 NRL season, he made his club debut for the Cronulla side against the Canberra Raiders, playing at five-eighth in the Sharks' 24-20 loss at Remondis Stadium.[70][71] In Round 6 against the Newcastle Knights, he scored his first try for Cronulla in their 22-6 win at Remondis Stadium.[72] In Round 18 against the St. George Illawarra Dragons, he made headlines after pulling off a try-saving tackle on St. George forward Ben Creagh as Creagh was racing to score next to the goal posts, while Barba also scored a try in the Cronulla club's 28-8 win at Remondis Stadium.[73][74] Barba finished off his first year with the Cronulla club having played in 19 matches and scoring three tries.[75] On 15 December 2015, Barba was named at five-eighth for the Indigenous All Stars team to play against the NRL All Stars on 13 February 2016.[76]
2016
On 29 January, Barba was named in the Sharks 2016 Auckland Nines squad. in his system and was suspended indefinitely by the NRL. Cronulla-Sutherland granted him an immediate release from his contract to deal with these issues.
2017
On 1 February 2017, it was announced that Barba had switched codes and joined French
2018
Barba enjoyed a successful season with St Helens in 2018, scoring 28 tries in 23 games as the club finished the regular season with the League Leaders' Shield.[81][82]
On 25 September 2018, Barba signed a one-year deal with the North Queensland Cowboys for the 2019 season.[83]
On 2 October 2018, he was named at fullback in the 2018 Super League Dream Team.[84] On 8 October 2018, Barba won the Man of Steel award. He became the second player after Gavin Miller to win both the Man of Steel and Dally M Medal.[85]
2019
On 1 February 2019, before playing a game for the North Queensland Cowboys, Barba was released due to a significant breach of the terms of his contract.
On 5 February 2019, the NRL banned Barba indefinitely.[90] It was subsequently reported that he was working as a truck driver,[91] but was employed as a metalworker in Mackay, Queensland, earning $20 an hour.[92]
NRL statistics
- Statistics are correct to the end of the 2018 season[93]
NRL
† | Denotes seasons in which Barba won an NRL Premiership
|
Season | Team | Matches | T | G | GK % | F/G | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2008 | ![]() |
4 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 4 |
2009 | ![]() |
4 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 4 |
2010 | ![]() |
21 | 15 | 0 | — | 0 | 60 |
2011 | ![]() |
24 | 23 | 0 | — | 0 | 92 |
2012 | ![]() |
27 | 22 | 0 | — | 0 | 88 |
2013 | ![]() |
17 | 10 | 0 | — | 0 | 40 |
2014 | ![]() |
25 | 8 | 0 | — | 0 | 32 |
2015 | ![]() |
19 | 3 | 0 | — | 0 | 12 |
2016† | ![]() |
27 | 16 | 0 | — | 0 | 64 |
Career totals | 168 | 99 | 0 | — | 0 | 396 |
Super League
Season | Team | Matches | T | G | GK % | F/G | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2017 | ![]() |
5 | 3 | 0 | — | 0 | 12 |
2018 | ![]() |
29 | 31 | 0 | — | 0 | 124 |
Career totals | 34 | 34 | 0 | — | 0 | 136 |
Other sports
In April 2019, Barba signed for Mackay Rangers soccer club in the
In July 2020, he made another shock code switch to Australian rules football and played for the Eastern Swans reserves in the AFL Mackay competition where he lined up in the position of full forward and kicked seven goals on debut. He impressed enough to warrant a call up to the seniors team several hours later and kicked a further six goals.[95] Barba finished second in the league goalkicking in 2020, 2021 and 2022 with 26, 63 and 68 goals[96] respectively. He also represented North Queensland in 2021 against South Queensland in an AFL curtain raiser match.[97]
Personal life
Barba has four daughters with his girlfriend Ainslie Currie.[98]
Barba's older brother, Aaron, played rugby league in the Queensland Cup, setting the competition record for most tries in a season with 33 in 2003.[99] His younger brother, Marmin, held an NRL contract with the Gold Coast Titans in 2013 and won a Queensland Cup premiership and NRL State Championship with the Ipswich Jets.[100][101]
Domestic violence allegations
In 2013 the NRL investigated Barba after his on and off girlfriend, Currie, claimed he punched her in the face, and sent pictures to a friend showing her bloodied chin.[102]
On Australia Day 2019 he was seen on CCTV assaulting Currie at a Townsville casino. The assault lasted for more than half an hour. His partner chose not to press charges.[103]
In March 2019 Barba pleaded guilty to public nuisance, and sentenced to community service, with magistrate John Smith noting that his ban from the NRL had been an "enormous penalty".[103]
References
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- ^ "Ben Barba – Stats". Love Rugby League. 11 November 2017. Archived from the original on 11 November 2017. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
- ^ "Ben Barba – Career Stats & Summary". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
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- ^ "Ben Barba – Saints History". St. Helens R.F.C. Archived from the original on 3 September 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
- The Newcastle Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
- ^ "Rugby league's Barba banned over 'assault'". BBC News. 5 February 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
- ^ "Barba's Shock Quartet". Heraldsun.com.au. 4 September 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ Wall, Nigel (4 November 2011). "I'll play up front: Barba". NRL.com. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
- ^ Sydney excitement machines Lewis Jetta and Ben Barba prepare to dazzle on ANZ turf
- ^ Glenn Jackson (9 January 2008). "The JT that won't get away: Bulldogs wrap up young gun Barba until end of 2010". League Unlimited (Faifax Digital). Retrieved 14 September 2008. [dead link]
- ^ "18thman - U20s Player Records". 18thman.com. 27 December 2012.
- ^ "The JT that won't get away: Bulldogs wrap up young gun Barba until end of 2010". Theage.com.au. 26 September 2009. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ "Barba to Start as Folkes Wields Axe". Dailytelegraph.com.au. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ "Roosters predicting better-than-ever Sonny Bill". ABC News. 11 July 2012.
- News Limited. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
- ^ "Cowboys break duck and Bulldogs 36-12". NRL News. 10 August 2008. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ James Phelps (3 September 2008). "Toyota Cup team of the year". The Herald Sun. Retrieved 14 September 2008.
- ^ "Ben Barba Pictures - NRL Rd 1 - Bulldogs v Sea Eagles - Zimbio". Zimbio.
- ^ "Bulldogs Scuffle". Dailytelegraph.com.au. 30 March 2009. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
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- ^ "Canterbury Bulldogs New Zealand Warriors". The Sydney Morning Herald. 11 April 2010.
- ^ Will Swanton (25 May 2010). "Penrith on top, but still a long way to go". Theage.com.au. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ "NRL All Stars See Off Indigenous Side 28-12". Couriermail.com.au. 12 February 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ "Indigenous All Stars v NRL All Stars". Zimbio.
- ^ "Barba Takes the Razor to Eels". Dailytelegraph.com.au. 15 April 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 April 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2011.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Ben Barba Re-Signs with Bulldogs Until 2015". Heraldsun.com.au. 20 July 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ "Live Bulldogs v Knights". Couriermail.com.au. 27 August 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ "Live Bulldogs v Raiders". Dailytelegraph.com.au. 4 September 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ "Ben Barba admits scoring nerves". The Roar. 5 September 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ "Hindmarsh to lead PM's XIII against PNG". Sport - Australian Sport - SportsFan. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
- ^ "NRL All Stars Win Arthur Beetson Trophy in Thriller". The Australian. 4 February 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ "Hasler delighted by Barba's Maroons link". Sports News Australia.
- ^ "Barba puts on show for the family". The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 June 2012.
- News Limited (4 September 2012). "All the Dally M winners plus galleries". Herald Sun. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
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- ^ "Our Player Ratings for the NRL Grand Final Between Canterbury and Melbourne Storm". Heraldsun.com.au. 30 September 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ "REPLAY: Indigenous All Stars 32 d NRL All Stars 6 at Suncorp Stadium". NewsComAu. Archived from the original on 13 August 2015. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
- ^ "Bulldogs Suspend Superstar Barba". Dailytelegraph.com.au. 25 February 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ "Bulldogs CEO Todd Greenberg says Ben Barba needs help to get his life back on track". ABC Grandstand Sport. 25 February 2013.
- ^ "Barba stood down to deal with his demons". ABC Grandstand Sport. 25 February 2013.
- ^ "Bulldogs Fullback Ben Barba Ready for Big Return Against Rabbitohs". The Australian. 25 March 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ "Rabbitohs ruin Ben Barba's return". Wwos.ninemsn.com.au. Archived from the original on 9 November 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ "Ben Barba to miss five NRL matches with ankle injury". The Sydney Morning Herald. 26 July 2013.
- ^ "Canterbury Have Released Ben Barba From His Contract Clearing His Way to Become a Bronco". Foxsports.com.au. 28 August 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ "Broncos Should Pay Transfer Fee for Ben Barba Says Steve Mortimer". The Australian. 25 July 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ "The Real Reason Ben Barba is Heading North". Dailytelegraph.com.au. September 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ "Ben Barba Injury to Keep Him Out of Brisbane Broncos Pre-Season as Corey Parker Faces Reality". Dailytelegraph.com.au. 21 September 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ "Barba's return fails to help Bulldogs hold out fast-finishing Broncos". The Sydney Morning Herald. 5 September 2013.
- ^ "Newcastle Knights tame Bulldogs as Barba suffers serious leg injury". The Sydney Morning Herald. 15 September 2013.
- ^ "SQUADS FOR AUCKLAND NINES". Rugby League Week. Archived from the original on 15 January 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
- ^ "Gritty Broncos Buck Off Bulldogs in Sydney". Dailytelegraph.com.au. 7 March 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ "Brisbane Recruit Ben Barba Family's Fury over RAcist Slur from Junior League Player". Couriermail.com.au. 10 March 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
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- ^ "Barba set to flick 'on' switch". NRL - The official site of the National Rugby League - NRL.com. 29 July 2014.
- ^ "Brisbane Broncos Backs Have Wild Knight Out Against Soft Newcastle". Couriermail.com.au. 23 August 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ "Wayne bennett Reveals why Ben barba Had to Leave the Broncos". Couriermail.com.au. 7 November 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ Michael Chammas (11 November 2014). "Ben Barba signs with Cronulla Sharks for $800,000 a season for the next three years". Smh.com.au. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ "Sharks sign Barba on a three-year deal". NewsComAu. 11 November 2014.
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- ^ "NRL 2015 - Round 1". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
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- ^ [1] Ben Barba joins world rugby's top earners after taking up Toulon offer - The Guardian, 1 February 2017
- ^ [2] Ben Barba signs for St. Helens - St. Helens RFC Official Site
- ^ "St Helens win the League Leaders' Shield".
- ^ "Ben Barba wins Super League's 2018 Man of Steel award".
- ^ "Barba to join Cowboys in 2019". 25 September 2018.
- ^ "NRL-bound stars Ben Barba and John Bateman headline UK Dream Team". 2 October 2018.
- ^ "Barba Named Man of Steel". 8 October 2018.
- ^ "Club statement". www.cowboys.com.au. North Queensland Cowboys. February 2019.
- ^ "'We have run out of patience': Todd Greenberg can't see Ben Barba returning to NRL". National Rugby League. 2 February 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
- ^ "Ben Barba faces Super League ban following alleged assault". BBC Sport. 3 February 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
- ^ "Super League to block any Barba return if banned by NRL". National Rugby League. 3 February 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
- ^ "Rugby league's Barba banned over 'assault'". BBC News. 5 February 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
- ^ "NRL news: Ben Barba, Cowboys; former Dally M winner starts new job as truck driver". foxsports.com.au. 14 February 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
- ^ "Disgraced Barba pictured in tradie gear at $20-an-hour job". The Queensland Times. 22 February 2019. Archived from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
- ^ Ferguson, Shawn Dollin and Andrew. "Ben Barba - Career Stats & Summary - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
- ^ "Disgraced NRL star Ben Barba makes code switch to football in Mackay Premier League". Wide World of Sport. 20 April 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- ^ "Ben Barba kicks 13 goals in Aussie rules debut for Eastern Swans in Mackay". Fox Sports Australia. 26 July 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- ^ "Benjamin Barba - Player Statistics".
- ^ Disgraced ex-NRL player Ben Barba in AFL curtain-raiser from Fox Sports June 12th, 2021
- ^ "Ben Barba signs with Cronulla Sharks for $800,000 a season for the next three years". M.smh.com.au. 11 November 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ Garry, Chris (22 September 2012). "Aaron Barba could have been anything in the NRL - now he's just Ben's brother". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
- ^ "Marmin the forgotten Barba". April 2015.
- ^ "Video: Forgotten Barba's fabulous finals try". 4 October 2015.
- ^ "New texts detail Currie's anguish". www.heraldsun.com.au. 2 September 2013.
- ^ a b Maddison, Melissa (28 May 2019). "Former NRL player Ben Barba pinned partner by throat, hit her in head with shoe, court hears". ABC News.