Ben Barba ready to silence doubters ahead of NRL return

ALL eyes will on Ben Barba next season when he launches his NRL resurrection with North Queensland — and the former Dally M winner insists he is not a spent force.

Ben Barba launches his NRL resurrection with a Cowboys. Picture: Ben Lonergan

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COWBOYS recruit Ben Barba insists he is not a spent force in the NRL and has vowed to repay the faith by helping revive the club as a premiership force.

All eyes will on Barba next season when he launches his NRL resurrection with a Cowboys club banking on his backfield brilliance to spearhead a title charge in the post-Johnathan Thurston era.

It has been two years since Barba helped the Sharks to a historic premiership. Then came the cocaine saga which drove Barba out of the NRL, the fallen Dally M golden boy forced to pick up the pieces with a shock stint in French rugby before finding a ray of hope at English Super League giants St Helens.

History shows NRL players who have time out of the game have trouble rediscovering their dominance.

Will Hopoate struggled in his first year back from a two-year Mormon mission, as did Jordan Rapana, who quit the Titans to embark on a religious assignment.

Both have since recovered to become NRL match-winners and Barba believes his superb season at St Helens, where he was named Super League’s Man of Steel three weeks ago, is proof that he can fire at the Cowboys.

“I can still make it in the NRL,” said Barba, who turns 30 next June.

Ben Barba launches his NRL resurrection with a Cowboys. Picture: Ben Lonergan

“When I left Cronulla, it wasn’t like I was playing badly.

“I know it will be different this time and a real challenge.

“I have kept in touch with the NRL and the young guys coming through are getting stronger and faster.

“That just means as a player, I have to make sure I’m in the best shape to play my best football and one thing I told myself, if I didn’t think I was capable enough to continue and compete with the players over here, I wouldn’t have come back.

“I didn’t come back to the Cowboys to embarrass ­myself.”

Barba admits when he left the Sharks in a blaze of controversy in October 2016, he believed his NRL career was dead and buried.

A subsequent bizarre stint in French rugby with Toulon, with whom he played just 96 minutes of football before being shown the door, appeared to be another nail in his NRL coffin.

But Barba’s stunning revival with St Helens has lit the fire within.

Ben Barba enjoyed a superb season with St Helens in the Super League. Picture: Getty Images

The former Bronco scored a sizzling 34 tries from as many games in England and the Cowboys are hoping Barba will inject the type of magic that became synonymous with club great Matt Bowen’s tenure in the No.1 jumper.

“I thought I was finished in the NRL when I left Cronulla,” he said.

“I went to rugby union in France thinking I was done and when that didn’t work out, I was at a real crossroads on what to do.

“The only way I was going to provide for my family was to play football.

“The Super League ended up being my only chance so that’s the way I had to go. I didn’t know how well I could play, all I could do was play well and hope someone would put their hand up for me.

“I am forever grateful to St Helens, they gave me a chance in rugby league to serve my ban and gave me the tools to play good football which led to interest from the NRL again.”

Barba can see the irony in him signing with the Cowboys.

As a kid in Mackay, he dreamt of a career at the club, but was overlooked by scouts, forcing him to emulate Thurston by moving to Sydney to try his luck at the Bulldogs.

“It’s pretty funny how it’s all turned out,” he says.

Ben Barba celebrates scoring a try during the 2016 grand final. Picture: Mark Evans

“Growing up in North Queensland, I wished I could get a chance to play with the Cowboys and for some reason as a young bloke, they weren’t keen on me.

“But 10 years down the track, it has finally happened, the club has given me a great opportunity and all I can do now is prove myself and show the Cowboys fans what I can do.

“I actually saw Mango Bowen at the club the other day and he’s a guy I loved watching growing up.

“I have gotten to know him now, so to even think I can wear the No.1 jumper that he made so great up here, it’s a dream come true.”

Idolised by St Helens fans, Barba was content to sign a new deal earlier this year. A family tragedy in Australia changed his thinking.

“The Cowboys came out of the blue really,” he says.

“I was going well at St Helens and then mid-season my grandmother on my mum’s side died.

“Because of the distance to Australia, I couldn’t fly back to attend her funeral and it hit home then just how far I was away from home.

“I never wanted to be in a situation ever again where I missed a family member passing away. I asked my manager if any clubs in Australia were keen and the Cowboys popped up, which was a nice surprise.”

The last time Barba signed with a Queensland club, it ended in tears.

In 2014, he was hailed as the recruit that could win Brisbane a premiership, but after one inconsistent season, he sought a new start at the Sharks. This time, playing for his future at the Cowboys on a one-year deal, Barba knows he can’t afford to fail.

Ben Barba had an unhappy stint with the Broncos. Picture: Zak Simmonds

“I know there is going to be all that expectation again, different to what I had in England, but I’m not afraid of that, I’m excited,” he said.

“I can’t wait to play with a few guys. Michael Morgan is a freak and I walked past Jason Taumalolo at the club the other day, he’s an incredible player. I really enjoy watching him in the NRL so I can’t wait to be out on the park with him.

“I know I’ve only got a one-year deal and there’s rumours the club could sign Valentine Holmes, but all I can do is train hard, work hard and let my football do the talking.

“There are a lot of little steps to take but I’d love to stay up here and finish my career at the Cowboys.

“That would be a great way to finish.”

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