Ben Barba

Ben Barba

Personal information
Full name	Benjamin Barba
Nickname	X-Factor[1]
Born	(1989-06-13) 13 June 1989 Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
Height	174 cm (5 ft 9 in)[2]
Weight	90 kg (14 st 2 lb)
Playing information
Position	Fullback, Five-eighth
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
2008–13	Canterbury	97	72	0	0	288
2014	Brisbane Broncos	25	8	0	0	32
2015–	Cronulla Sharks	6	1	0	0	4
	Total	128	81	0	0	324
Representative
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
2011–15	Indigenous All Stars	4	4	0	0	16
2011	Prime Minister's XIII	1	0	0	0	0
Source: [3]

Benjamin 'Ben' Barba (born 13 June 1989 in Darwin, Northern Territory)^[4] is an Indigenous Australian professional rugby league player who primary plays at fullback and Five-eighth in the National Rugby League, currently for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. Barba won the Dally M Medal award for best player of the year in 2012 while he was at the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.^[5] Barba previously played for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in 2008-2013 and the Brisbane Broncos in 2014.

Early years

Of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Afghan descent,^[6] 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.

Playing career

Barba signed with the Bulldogs in 2007 and joined the club in the middle of the 2007 season. At his first season at Belmore, Barba played in the Jersey Flegg competition, where he scored 130 points in 11 games.^[7]

2008

In his second season at the Bulldogs in 2008, on 9 January 2008, Barba signed a 2 year contract extension with the Bulldogs keeping him at the club till the end of the 2010 season.^[8] Barba played most of the season in the Toyota Cup Under 20s competition, scoring 26 tries in 27 games. Canterbury coach Steve Folkes stated that he was still too young and it would be a couple of years till he would become a first grader. As the season went on, Canterbury kept on losing games and were possibly going to win the wooden spoon resulting in the fans urging that Barba be put into first grade.^[9] Barba made his NRL debut for the Bulldogs in Round 20, against the St. George Illawarra Dragons in the same week that Sonny Bill Williams quit the club.^[10] They were heavily beaten by the St. George Illawarra Dragons 30-0 at ANZ Stadium. At the time he was called up to first-grade, Barba was working at a car wash.^[11] Barba played three more games for Canterbury in 2008 but resulted in losses against the Wests Tigers at ANZ Stadium 56-4 in Round 21. A 36-12 loss in Round 22 to the other desperate team close to winning the wooden spoon, the North Queensland Cowboys, at Suncorp Stadium with Barba scoring his first ever first grade try for the club.^[12] In the 2008 NRL season, Barba played four games and scored a try. In September 2008, Barba was named in the Toyota Cup Team of the Year.^[13]

2009

Barba started the 2009 season in first grade under new coach Kevin Moore. Barba played off the interchange bench in Round 1 against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the Bulldogs 34-12 win at ANZ Stadium.^[14] On 28 March 2009, the night after the Bulldogs Round 3 match against the Gold Coast Titans where he had his first start at five-eighth in the Bulldogs 20-12 loss at Cbus Super Stadium, Barba got into an drunken fight with Canterbury team mates Jamal Idris and Lee Te Maari at the Wentworthville pub carpark where Idris punched Barba after he shoved Te Maari against a wall.^[15] After the incident Barba was dropped into NSW Cup and played for the Bankstown City Bulls until Round 18 against the New Zealand Warriors at Mt Smart Stadium. The match was a memorable one for Barba and for the club. The Bulldogs were down 14-12 with a couple of minutes to go, then the Bulldogs made a break and Barba received a pass from Ben Roberts before stepping and diving over for the winning try in the Bulldogs 18-14 win. Barba eventually played the rest of the 2009 season in reserve grade. Barba played in Canterbury's 2009 NSW Cup Grand Final Premiership 32-0 win over the Balmain Ryde Eastwood Tigers where he scored a hatrick of tries.^[16] Barba finished the Bulldogs 2009 NRL season with him playing in 4 matches and scoring a try.

2010

Barba started the 2010 NRL season as a regular first grade player. In Round 3 against the Sydney Roosters, Barba came off the interchange bench and scored a hatrick of tries in the Bulldogs 60-14 massacre win at ANZ Stadium, earning "The X-Factor" tag after his exciting performance in the match.^[17][18] 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 at ANZ Stadium.^[19] In Round 11 Barba started for the first time in the 2010 NRL season at halfback in the Bulldogs 31-16 loss against the Penrith Panthers at Penrith Stadium.^[20] Barba finished the Bulldogs low performing 2010 NRL season with him playing in 21 matches and scoring 15 tries being the Bulldogs standout player.

2011

At the beginning of the 2011 season, on 12 February 2011, Barba made his representative debut for the Indigenous All Stars in the 2011 All Stars Match where he scored his first ever representative try in the match where they lost to the NRL All Stars 28-12 at Cbus Super Stadium.^[21][22] With the departure of former Canterbury and NSW Country fullback Luke Patten to English club the Salford City Reds, Barba became the Bulldogs new full-time fullback. In Round 6 Barba a scored a hatrick of tries in the Bulldogs 34-14 win over the Parramatta Eels at ANZ Stadium, the second try coming with 49 seconds of the first half remaining, from a move starting in his team's own half and finishing with Barba taking a pass from Jamal Idris, jumping up and twisting the ball round to touch down just inside the in-goal area, as two Eels defenders tried to force him out into touch, his shoulder touching the corner post in the process, with the corner post no longer being part of the touch in-goal area.^[23] It was announced on 20 July 2011 that Barba had signed a contract extension at the Bulldogs until the end of the 2015 season.^[24][25] In Round 25 Barba scored two tries in the Bulldogs 32-22 win against the Newcastle Knights at ANZ Stadium in a thrilling second half comeback after they were trailing 22-6 at halftime and Barba scoring a try when he chased down a Jonathan Wright cross over kick which was going to go over the dead ball line then he reached out his arms and placed the ball down millimetres away from the deal ball line white strip.^[26] In Round 26 with the Bulldogs just missing out of a top eight spot for the final series. Barba scored a merciual 4 tries in the Bulldogs 36-22 win against the Canberra Raiders at ANZ Stadium in retiring Bulldogs captain and second rower Andrew Ryan last ever game for the Bulldogs.^[27] Barba finished the Bulldogs 2011 NRL season with him playing in 24 matches and scoring 23 tries being the 2011 NRL season equal top try scorer with South Sydney Rabbitohs winger Nathan Merritt.^[28] On 14 September 2011, Barba was selected on the interchange bench in the Prime Minister's XIII squad to play against Papua New Guinea.^[29]

2012

Barba began his 2012 campaign by playing representative rugby league for the NRL Indigenous All Stars team in the 2012 All Stars match where the Indigenous Team lost to the NRL All Stars 36-28 at Cbus Super Stadium.^[30] Due to his excellent form during the year and the 2011 NRL season, Barba earned himself a selection into the 25-man Queensland State of Origin squad, named as the Queensland rugby league team's 19th man in the lead up to Game II of the 2012 State of Origin series.^[31] However Barba didn't make his Origin debut. In Round 16 against the Melbourne Storm at Virgin Australia Stadium in Mackay, in front his own hometown crowd, Barba set the 2012 try of the year for team mate Josh Morris. Barba fielded a Storm kick only one metre from the dead ball line, then evaded his opposition beating six defenders and ran 70 metres down field before centre kicking for Morris to score next to the posts for what was a 109 metre try.^[32] On 4 September 2012, Barba was awarded the 2012 Dally M Medal.^[33] In addition he won the 'Peter Frilingos Headline Moment of the Year', the Provan-Summons Medal as 'People's Choice' Player of the Year as well as being named Fullback of the Year in his exciting year for the Bulldogs with him setting up and scoring some freakish tries during the year.^[34][35][36] After the Bulldogs won their first two final matches they made into the 2012 NRL Grand Final against the Melbourne Storm on 30 September 2012. Barba played at fullback and scored a try disallowed in the Bulldogs 14-4 loss.^[37][38] Barba finished 2012 NRL season as the Bulldogs and the NRL's top try scorer with 22 tries in 27 matches.

2013

On 9 February 2013, Barba played for the NRL Indigenous All Stars team in the 2013 All Stars match where he scored a first half hatrick of tries and was awarded the Preston Campbell Medal as the man of the match in the Indigenous Team 32-6 win over the NRL All Stars at Suncorp Stadium.^[39] In 25 February 2013, Barba was stood down indefinitely from player duties at the Bulldogs due to behavioural issues and for breaches of the club's code of conduct as a result of his off-field behaviour.^[40] Barba had numerous personal issues to resolve before being allowed to play again for the Bulldogs.^[41][42] Barba returned to action for the Bulldogs in Round 4 and scored his first try of the season in their 17-12 loss to the South Sydney Rabbitohs at ANZ Stadium.^[43][44] In Round 20, Barba suffered first ever first grade NRL injury causing him to require time and therapy off the field during the Bulldogs 40-12 win against the Parramatta Eels at ANZ Stadium. Barba suffered the ankle injury scoring a try.^[45] On 28 August, while still on injury, Barba asked for a release from the Bulldogs due to his ambition to play for the Brisbane Broncos since he and his family are from Queensland. Barba transferred for a 3 year deal starting in February 2014.^[46][47][48] This led to an ankle adjustment surgery in early December ready for the new season in early March 2014 with the Broncos.^[49] Barba returned for the Bulldogs in the last regular game of the season in Round 26 against the club he signed with the Brisbane Broncos, playing off the interchange bench in the Bulldogs 16-11 loss at Suncorp Stadium.^[50] Barba played last game for the Bulldogs in the Finals Week 1 match against the Newcastle Knights where in the 50th minute, Barba was stretchered off from the field due to his ankle problem in the Bulldogs season ending 22-6 loss at ANZ Stadium.^[51] Barba finished his last year with the Bulldogs in the 2013 NRL season with him playing in 17 matches and scoring 10 tries.

2014

In 14 February 2014, Barba was selected in the Broncos inaugural 2014 NRL Auckland Nines squad, putting on his Broncos jersey for the first time.^[52] In Round 1 of the 2014 season, Barba made his club debut for the Broncos against his former club the Bulldogs with him assisting in a try for Dale Copley in the Broncos 18-12 win at ANZ Stadium.^[53] After the match Barba was subjected to racism on Instagram from an 18 year old Bulldogs fan and park footballer from Dapto.^[54][55] In Round 3 against the Sydney Roosters, Barba played his 100th NRL career match in the Broncos heartbreaking last minute 30-26 loss at Suncorp Stadium.^[56] In Round 7 against the Newcastle Knights, Barba scored his first try in Brisbane colours in the Broncos 32-6 win at Hunter Stadium.^[57] In Round 19 against the New Zealand Warriors at Suncorp Stadium, Barba made a switch from fullback to five-eighth with some success assisting the Broncos to a 28-22 win.^[58] Barba’s five-eighth switch continued for the rest of the year.^[59] In Round 24 against the Newcastle Knights at Suncorp Stadium, Barba scored a hatrick of tries in the Broncos rampaging 48-6 win.^[60] Barba finished the 2014 NRL season with him playing in all the Broncos 25 matches and scoring 8 tries in his only year in Brisbane. In 8 November 2014, Barba was told by Broncos incoming coach Wayne Bennett that his services weren't needed for the 2015 season and was granted permission to search for another club to sign with, the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks being the favorites to sign the Broncos unwanted fullback and five-eighth.^[61]

2015

On 11 November 2014, Barba signed a three year contract with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks worth $800,000 a season.^[62][63]

Statistics

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Year Matches Tries Goals F/G Points 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 28 Total 97 72 0 0 276

Brisbane Broncos Year Matches Tries Goals F/G Points 2014 25 8 0 0 32 Total 25 8 0 0 32

Indigenous All Stars

Year	Matches	Tries	Goals	F/G	Points
2011	1	1	0	0	8
2012	1	0	0	0	0
2013	1	3	0	0	12
Total	3	4	0	0	16

Personal life

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.^[64] Barba has a younger brother, Marmin, who has signed to play fullback or in the halves for the Gold Coast Titans in the 2013 NRL season.

Barba has three daughters with his girlfriend Ainslie Currie: Bodhi (b. 2009), Bronte (b. 2011) and Blaise (b. 2014).^[65]

References

External links

• Canterbury Bulldogs profile

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks – current squad  Arona  Ayshford  Barba  Beale  Bird  F.Brown  M.Brown  Bukuya  Ennis  Feki  A.Fifita  D.Fifita  Gagan  Gallen (c)  Gardner  Gordon  Graham  Heighington  Holmes  Leutele  Lewis  Politoni  Prior  Robson  Roqica  Sauiluma  Stanley  Tagataese  Tupou Coach: Flanagan

2008 Toyota Cup Team of the Year 1. Lachlan Coote 2. Jharal Yow Yeh 3. Justin Carney 4. Tony Williams 5. Kevin Gordon 6. Ben Barba 7. Chris Sandow 8. Russell Packer 9. Masada Iosefa 10. John Kite 11. Joel Thompson 12. Daniel Harrison 13. Shaun Fensom 14. Ben Hunt 15. Matt Mundine 16. Jordan Rapana 17. Ben Matulino

National Rugby League season top try scorers 1908 Horrie Miller 1909 Tommy Anderson 1910 Arthur McCabe 1911 Dave Garlick 1912 Roy Algie 1913 Harold Horder 1914 Harold Horder 1915 Frank Burge 1916 Frank Burge 1917 Harold Horder 1918 Frank Burge 1919 Gordon Wright 1920 Gordon Wright 1921 Gordon Wright 1922 Cec Blinkhorn 1923 Herman Peters 1924 Tommy Kennedy 1925 Benny Wearing 1926 Benny Wearing 1927 Benny Wearing 1928 Tony Redmond 1929 Alan Brady 1930 Morrie Boyle 1931 Jack Lynch 1932 Alan Ridley 1933 Jack Gray-Spence 1934 Dave Brown, Fred Gardner & Vic Hey 1935 Dave Brown 1936 Fred Tottey 1937 Fred Tottey 1938 Don Manson 1939 Sid Goodwin 1940 Jack Lindwall 1941 Percy Dermond & Sel Lisle 1942 Jack Lindwall 1943 C "Kelly" McMahon 1944 Sid Goodwin 1945 Chicka Cahill & Jack Snare 1946 Jack Lindwall 1947 Bob Lulham 1948 Norm Jacobson 1949 Ron Roberts 1950 Jack Troy 1951 John Graves 1952 Peter O'Brien 1953 Ian Moir 1954 Ray Preston 1955 Brian Allsop & Ian Moir 1956 Tommy Ryan 1957 Tommy Ryan 1958 Eddie Lumsden 1959 Ken Irvine 1960 Reg Gasnier 1961 Johnny King 1962 Eddie Lumsden 1963 Reg Gasnier 1964 Reg Gasnier 1965 Johnny King 1966 Ken Irvine 1967 Les Hanigan 1968 Stan Gorton 1969 Ken Irvine 1970 Ken Irvine 1971 Paul Cross 1972 Bob Fulton 1973 Bob Fulton 1974 Kevin Junee & Bill Mullins 1975 Johnny Mayes 1976 Bob Fulton 1977 Russel Gartner 1978 Larry Corowa 1979 Mitch Brennan & Tom Mooney 1980 John Ribot & Wayne Wigham 1981 Terry Fahey 1982 Steve Ella 1983 Phil Blake 1984 Terry Lamb & Steve Morris 1985 Steve Linnane 1986 Phil Blake & Garry Schofield 1987 Terry Lamb 1988 John Ferguson 1989 Gary Belcher 1990 Mal Meninga 1991 Alan McIndoe 1992 Mark Bell & Tim Brasher 1993 Noa Nadruku 1994 Steve Renouf 1995 Steven Menzies 1996 Noa Nadruku 1997 Terry Hill (ARL) Matthew Ryan (SL) 1998 Darren Smith 1999 Nathan Blacklock 2000 Nathan Blacklock 2001 Nathan Blacklock 2002 Nigel Vagana 2003 Rhys Wesser 2004 Amos Roberts 2005 Matt Bowen 2006 Nathan Merritt 2007 Matt Bowen 2008 Brett Stewart 2009 Brett Morris 2010 Shaun Kenny-Dowall & Akuila Uate 2011 Ben Barba & Nathan Merritt 2012 Ben Barba 2013 Michael Jennings, Jorge Taufua & David Williams 2014 Alex Johnston

Dally M Medallists 1980 Robert Laurie 1981 Steve Rogers 1982 Ray Price 1983 Terry Lamb 1984 Michael Potter 1985 Greg Alexander 1986 Peter Sterling 1987 Peter Sterling 1988 Gavin Miller 1989 Gavin Miller 1990 Cliff Lyons 1991 Michael Potter 1992 Gary Freeman 1993 Ricky Stuart 1994 Cliff Lyons 1995 Laurie Daley 1996 Allan Langer 1998 Andrew Johns 1999 Andrew Johns 2000 Trent Barrett 2001 Preston Campbell 2002 Andrew Johns 2004 Danny Buderus 2005 Johnathan Thurston 2006 Cameron Smith 2007 Johnathan Thurston 2008 Matt Orford 2009 Jarryd Hayne 2010 Todd Carney 2011 Billy Slater 2012 Ben Barba 2013 Cooper Cronk 2014 Johnathan Thurston & Jarryd Hayne (shared)