Barba delights home crowd in Bulldogs’ win
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A call from Queensland selectors appears likely for Ben Barba after the Bulldogs fullback completed one of the great Origin auditions in Canterbury’s 20-4 NRL win over Melbourne in Mackay on Sunday.
But the people Barba really wanted to impress have already made their feelings known.
Family members outnumbered Barba’s Bulldogs teammates in the dressing room as, one by one, they congratulated the livewire No.1 after a memorable homecoming.
Barba stated a compelling case to replace Queensland fullback Billy Slater ahead of July 4′s Origin III in Brisbane by scoring a try and setting up another two, including a remarkable length-of-the-field effort.
However, Mackay-bred Barba had higher priorities than Origin ahead of the first NRL clash played in his hometown.
“I was a bit nervous before the game. Playing in front of family and friends I grew up with, I was always going to be,” Barba said.
“I am still in shock. It is a dream come true to come here but it another thing to beat a side like Melbourne in front of family and friends.
“There are more family inside the sheds than teammates.”
Barba said he would monitor his mobile phone in case the Queensland selectors come calling.
But he sounded tempted to re-direct all now to his mother after her skills ensured a problem-free buildup to the historic game in Mackay.
“I gave all the tickets I could possibly get to mum. I said to everyone ‘deal with her and I will talk to you after the game’,” Barba laughed.
“I am lucky I have an organised mum – everyone was happy.”
He hopes he will be smiling too when Queensland selectors make the tough call between Barba, Matt Bowen, Greg Inglis and Darius Boyd as Slater’s replacement.
“I have put my hand up now. But there are some great fullbacks to choose from so I will just hope for the best,” he said.
© AAP 2013The Crowd Says (13) | Page 1 of Comments
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June 25th 2012 @ 4:06am
Balmainslipperyeel said | June 25th 2012 @ 4:06am | Report comment
The guy is a deadset freak. Did you see him step Cooper Cronk in that length of the field effort? Cronk, who is known for his great defence, was left grasping at air and looking vey ordinary.
Cameron Smith is just a filthy grub in disguise…don’t think we don’t notice your grubby little facials, high shots, elbows and eye gouges that you always seem to get away with you maggot. Next time you elbow someone in the face who is on the ground, i hope they get up and knock you out, you dirty pea-heart. Can’t wait to see the look on his face when NSW finally end Queensland on wednesday week. Then we’ll really see who the sore losers are.
Has anyone else noticed what a dirty grub Smith is…yet how immune he seems to be from scrutiny? Truly sick of it. I hope he gets his comeuppance in game 3 and gets his smug, arrogant face smashed in.
June 25th 2012 @ 10:03am
Meesta Cool said | June 25th 2012 @ 10:03am | Report comment
So respond to grubbyness with violence… rethink yerself mate…
June 25th 2012 @ 11:19am
Balmainslipperyeel said | June 25th 2012 @ 11:19am | Report comment
I’ll take philosophical advice from you when you can learn to spell words such as yourself, “meesta cool”. We are talking about origin football here aren’t we? Are you actually saying that there is no violence in origin football? Let me give you the lowdown you tragically PC, lilly livered twit: ORIGIN FOOTBALL IS AN AGGRESSIVE CONTACT SPORT.
The aggression is amped up 10 fold in the origin arena. Fights are an accepted part of it and a certain “latitude” is given by refs. You are part of a girlish minority that has a cry when two big men square off and let off some steam by throwing some punches at each other. Oh no, we can’t let the kids see that, no, that’s violence!. What about all the violence kids absorb through their daily dose of television, video games, music and movies. Probably a little bit more damaging than a good old fashioned square off in a game of footy.
With regards to Smith, i maintain my position. Or should i say opinion. I think he is a grub. If i saw one of our blues take him on fair and square in a brawl in game 3 and they landed a good shot and hurt him, i wouldn’t sit there thinking:
“Oh my goodness, something must be done about this thuggery!”. I would be cheering the poetic justice of a dirty player getting belted by one of the boys from our team.
Maybe you need to watch a milder sport Mr Cool. Something like lawn bowls or darts. But maybe two balls cracking together, or a dart stabbing a board is too violent for you.
I’m not saying we should revert back to the Les Boyd days, but we need to rid the game of the politically correct softcockery. Like the fools who are trying to outlaw shoulder charges from the game.
Mr Cool, maybe you’re the one that needs to “rethink yerself mate”. You are entitled to your opinion, however, and i respect your right to voice your opinion. Tell you what, in the interests of getting along, i won’t judge you for being a softcock, if you won’t judge me for liking the occasional biffo in a game of footy.
June 25th 2012 @ 11:46am
Meesta Cool said | June 25th 2012 @ 11:46am | Report comment
Appreciate your advice.. thanks — oops and Yup, I can spell when I want to…. enjoy the thump!.
June 25th 2012 @ 1:33pm
The Barry said | June 25th 2012 @ 1:33pm | Report comment
politically correct softcockery – hahahaha. I hope you don’t mind Balmainslipperyeel but I’m adding “softcockery” to my vocabulary…
June 25th 2012 @ 1:43pm
MemberforDobell said | June 25th 2012 @ 1:43pm | Report comment
Softcockery is very big in Balmain….especially if he grabbing his slippery eel !
June 25th 2012 @ 4:10pm
Meesta Cool said | June 25th 2012 @ 4:10pm | Report comment
Good terminology, doesn’t really fit my personality, but what the hell, he had fun abusing me… lol — On his advice I have taken to watching “Synchronised swimming”, just the thing for a softcock!…
I now qualify as a ‘Sync swim softcock’!…. I wonder if it allows me to name call and insult?.
June 25th 2012 @ 4:30pm
steve b said | June 25th 2012 @ 4:30pm | Report comment
B.S.E Bit angry today mate smile mate you’ll live longer ,, and yes Mr Smith is the best at the sneakies ,,but gets away with it every week ..But to the point Barba what a little champion you just dont know what he’ll do next , i hope Mal dosent pick him for NSW sake…
June 25th 2012 @ 4:07am
Balmainslipperyeel said | June 25th 2012 @ 4:07am | Report comment
*very*
June 25th 2012 @ 9:10am
Chuck said | June 25th 2012 @ 9:10am | Report comment
If the origin game is truly the best 34 players in the game, then he will be picked – if it is “pick JT’s mates” then he won’t be. The media seems to be starting to appreciate how hard it is to do the length of the field runs he does EVERY, SINGLE, MATCH – not once every 4 games (like a hayne or inglis), but every one – the guy is a freak and now that his defence and catching ability under bombs has caught up he is in the top 5 players in the game easily.
Also, thanks to Des Hasler for bringing back entertainment to the game and not sticking with the dreary wrestle/dummyhalfathon played by other teams (storm, dragons).
June 25th 2012 @ 1:45pm
The Barry said | June 25th 2012 @ 1:45pm | Report comment
I’m not sure about the 110 metre try that he set up for Morris as being try of the year – because the 108 metre try that he set up for Morris against the Titans was probably better ! ! !
Chuck – you’re right, last year he was good but had a few rough edges. He’s obviously worked hard on those which shows great attitude as well as ability. It was terrible conditions with the wind and rain and the Storm bombed the daylights out of him and he stood up to it. I don’t think he’s dropped more than 2-3 bombs all year and he has been targeted every game.
I’m going to go out on a limb and say that he’s now one of the best defensive fullbacks in the comp. He’s saved about 10 tries this year with one one one tackles, strips and hold ups. I’m not sure that there’s another fullback that can say the same.
It would be a great stat to be added to the game – try saves. The criteria could be strips, held up over the line, tackles into touch.
I actually think it’s unfair to blood him in a decider. I’d put Inglis to FB and Nielsen in the centres. Inglis has barely touched the ball except from dummy half in the centres.
Barba should be picked as the utility off the bench. While QLD have gone for 4 forwards each game this series, they may need to have more attacking options off the bench given this is a decider. If not 2013 should see Barba become an Origin regular.
June 25th 2012 @ 4:11pm
MemberforDobell/PLANKO said | June 25th 2012 @ 4:11pm | Report comment
Inglis is going to play Fullback Barba on the bench ! Surely ! I would have thought that if Billy was not so selfish knowing there was a great replacement he would have got himself right for game 3. There is no way he was 100 for game 2 !
June 25th 2012 @ 8:41pm
Bearfax said | June 25th 2012 @ 8:41pm | Report comment
No doubt about his talent. I just wonder in the SOO environment whether he’ll be able to cope with the attention he will receive…and he will receive far more attention than he has ever received before.
Full back is one of the most important positions on the field and you dont have others there covering for you if you make a mistake…and he is prone to make a few mistakes. He’s very talented and no doubt after playing SOO for several games he will stamp his authority.
Its just that I think I would be bringing him on carefully such as on the wing at first. I can see him copping a caning from the big and fast NSW forwards. For mine Inglis at full back and put Barba on the wing, but when he seems to be comfortable,you can always give him a taste of the full back role by swinging Inglis back to centre and one of the centres onto the wing. I think I would be very careful at first because Barba may be very fast and very clever, but he is also very small.