Timeline: Ben Barba’s NRL career
IT has been a long and successful career, but one marred by failed drugs tests. This is a lookback at Ben Barba’s career over the last five years.
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IT has been a long and successful career, but one now marred by failed drugs tests.
Barely a month after helping Cronulla to their first title, Barba has left the club that took a chance on him after he washed out at the Broncos in 2014.
This is a lookback at Ben Barba’s career over the last five years.
Timeline: How Barba’s career unfolded
Barba makes his first grade debut for the Bulldogs in a 30-0 loss to St George Illawarra. The Queenslander had been a phenomenon in the Under 20s, scoring 28 tries in 20 matches and despite losing all four NRL matches he played in his debut season there was significant hype for the beginnings of his first grade career.
After playing just four matches in 2009, Barba secured his place in the first grade team for the first time in early 2010 and was first used as an impact player off the bench. In a 60-14 win against the Roosters he scored his first career hat-trick with the pick of the bunch being his third, which saw him latch onto a Ben Roberts kick and race 50 metres to score in the corner. He finished the season with 15 tries in 21 matches.
Barba began the 2011 season at fullback and stayed there all year, finally locking down a place in the Bulldogs starting side three years after his debut.
In the final month of the season Barba scored eight tries in four matches to take his season total to 23 in 24 games. His four-try haul against the Raiders in Round 26 saw him finish top try scorer for the first time.
Barba’s miracle season in 2012 is well known and it arguably peaked in the 20-4 win over Melbourne in his hometown of Mackay. He created one of the greatest tries of the NRL era, collecting a kick deep in his own in-goal and weaving through defenders form 70 metres before kicking inside for Josh Morris to score.
The dream season is rewarded with the Dally M medal, the Dally M fullback of the year award, the Peter Frilingos Memorial award for headline moment of the year and the Provan-Summons medal as the peoples choice. Barba is one of just three Dally M winners never to play Test or Origin football.
The minor-premiership winning Bulldogs lose the grand final to the Storm 14-4. Barba is well contained by a ruthless Melbourne side.
Barba scores three tries for the Indigenous side in the first half of the All Stars match.
Barba is indefinitely suspended by the Bulldogs due to behavioural issues. Bulldogs CEO Todd Greenberg says the incident was not a police matter but that Barba did breach the club’s code of conduct. Barba later spends time at a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre on the northern beaches.
Barba makes his return for the Bulldogs, scoring a try in a 17-12 loss to South Sydney.
While injured, Barba asks for a release from his contract to sign with Brisbane, citing personal issues. He inks a three-year deal with the club.
Barba plays his final match for the Bulldogs, a 22-6 defeat to Newcastle in the first week of the finals. He is stretchered off with an ankle injury in the second half and does not return.
In a fitting coincidence, Barba makes his Broncos debut against his former club and sets up a try in Brisbane’s 18-12 win.
The longest try-scoring drought of Barba’s career ends as he scores his first four-pointer for the Broncos in a 32-6 defeat of Newcastle.
After shifting from fullback to five-eighth in a lacklustre season, Barba plays his final game for the Broncos. He scored a try in a 32-20 loss to North Queensland in the first week of the finals.
Barba is told that he surplus to requirements by returning Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett and he signs a three-year deal with the Sharks on November 11th.
Barba makes his club debut for the Sharks at five-eighth. In an unhappy performance, he is targeted relentlessly by the Raiders in a 24-20 defeat.
After being relegated to the bench, Barba scores his first try for the Sharks in a 22-6 win over Newcastle. He remains as the bench utility for the rest of the season, scoring three tries in 19 appearances.
Barba staves off the challenge of Valentine Holmes and Jack Bird to begin the season as Sharks fullback.
Barba scores the first try of the grand final and helps lead the Sharks to a 14-12 win in his best season since his Dally M year.
Barba tests positive to cocaine and is released by the Sharks.
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Originally published as Timeline: Ben Barba’s NRL career
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