The meteoric rise and fall of sporting stars is a phenomenon that occurs in all professional sports.
Athletes with all the potential and ability in the world leap to the top of their respective sports, enjoying a period of breathing in the lofty air before they are pushed back down.
Problems at home, a few off games or a pie that was in the oven too long can cause them to suddenly fall off the high precipice faster then they rose, and plummet to their ultimate demise.
All quite dramatic isn’t it?
Ben Barba truly burst onto the scene in the 2012 NRL season for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. With a competition-topping 22 tries and an electricity that led his team to a minor premiership and grand final, Barba was awarded the Dally M Medal. The man could do no wrong.
Trapped in his own in-goal? A few tackle busts and a shimmy and off he went. Receiving a ball with nothing doing in attack? A burst of speed, a left-foot step and a pass to a supporting player. In no less than 12 months he went from a player who suffered under a bomb but could score a try, to the premier player in the NRL.
Two years, several well covered personal incidents, 3000 rumours of discontent with his former club and a move to another state later and where is he?
It’s a good question. The thrilling Ben Barba of 2012 is right where he was then, in 2012.
Where is Ben Barba today? Who knows. Barba is running an average of just 88.75 metres per game, meaning his kick returns and running in semi-open play have been mute. On top of that he has scored one try and made one line break.
Contrastingly, Jarryd Hayne, in scintillating form, has made an average of 160 metres a game, scoring nine tries this season as well as making nine line breaks. But you need only to look at Barba’s replacement at the Bulldogs, Sam Perrett, to put Barba’s stats in perspective.
The ultra-professional veteran, who has played almost his entire career at wing, has averaged an impressive 162 metres a game, while scoring two tries and making three line breaks. Barba isn’t even matching the makeshift fullback who replaced him.
I personally do not think Barba will ever reach the heights of 2012, but he undoubtedly has the skill and ability to again be an elite fullback and a constant threat to opposition defenders.
Today when speaking to the media, Barba addressed his own underwhelming form saying, “Hopefully after this game I can take a bit from it and learn from it today and just go into the next game with more confidence.
“[Settling into the team] was a lot harder than I thought… so it has taken me a while, but there are no excuses now. It’s go time from here to the end of the season.”
That’s great Ben, more words. I think I can speak for all lovers of rugby league when I say we want actions. I’m not sure I can take another story on Ben Barba looking improved and close to some possibly cloudy-with-a-chance-of-okay form.
I definitely can’t take Wally Lewis saying that Barba catching a routine ball is a ‘good sign’ anymore. I want these good signs to direct us to the destination.
The fact is he has barely looked a threat. If Barba doesn’t show some form, back up his words with actions and take the Broncos to a serious finals berth this year, he can expect to be running out in the Queensland Cup next year, making way for one Anthony Milford.
Dallas
Guest
Milford played in the halves all through juniors, and that is where he prefers to play. At the moment the broncos only have one half and a fulllback/winger playing out of position at 5/8th. So it makes perfect sense to recruit Milford who is a future superstar of the game in a position that they have no depth in. Also Ben barba is not a 5/8th either. He needs to be getting the ball with space and time, not creating space and time for the outside blokes which is a what a 5/8th does. A half needs to play straight and direct at the line where as barba and other fullbacks like to play the sweeping role out the back, this what Darren Lockyer said was the hardest part about changing from fullback to 5/8th, to play straight at the defensive line to create space outwide, and any one who has watched barba play knows that his first instinct when he gets the ball is to get on the outside of his man, halves cannot do this.
James Cairns
Roar Guru
he is playing not bad as a playmaker, but his fullback work is lacking atm. going for milford is a crazy move when they have the players they do, don't know how that will work, but he is very talented. I'm prepared to give him till the end of the year, i just wanted to see a bit more by now, he was lacklustre last year as well
Owen
Guest
Barba played 5/8 role in attack on the weekend against manly and it worked well. Hoffman to fullback and barba to 5/8 might be a goer... I don't know why they would go for Milford.. Too young and too small to fit in around the current players. Unless someone gets the chop.. Who? One of the outside backs.. Who knows. Give Benny time he's slowly warming into the broncs team
James Cairns
Roar Guru
No. The fact i support the bulldogs is irrelevant. I am a fan of rugby league, and he is a rugby league player.
Luis
Guest
Leave Barba alone you Bulldogs supporters. He's not your player anymore. Move on and worry about the players in your kennel.
James Cairns
Roar Guru
Thats a good point with his floating in the back line and thats teams giving him respect due to his reputation, but he seems still hesitant to back himself or punch through holes. The biggest letdown is his kick returns, he does barely anything with them, back at the dogs it was almost unwise to kick to him, he doesn't pose that threat anymore. Doing enough isn't good enough for a player of Barba's calibre.
Josh
Guest
Being a doggies fan I was very excited to see what barba was going to offer in 2013. Scoring 3 tries in the all stars game I thought it was 2012 all over again! But sadly all went to! I was even more excited when the broncos wanted him! Hope u guys have more luck with this dud!
turbodewd
Guest
Barba is one of these players who get a fat paycheck and shut up shop. Theyve got their pay day...why try?
Brin Paulsen
Roar Guru
Personally I think Barba is doing enough. Sure he's not setting the world on fire in attack but defensively he's been very good (with a dodgy game here or there under the high ball). I think the real issue for Barba is that Josh Hoffman is playing in the 6 jersey. The bloke refuses to pass the footy when there's something on and pushes terrible passes when they're isn't. And before you put a line through Barba completely, I think it's unfair to discount his impact on Matt Gillett's form this season. Teams still have to respect Barba floating out the back on the overlap and in doing so they're giving Gillett the half a yard that he needs to hit those flat passes and burst through the edge. Gillett has scored a couple of tries (and bombed a couple) because of the threat that Barba poses when he's floating around. McCullough, Hunt, Milford, Barba as a spine might sound undersized but I don't think the 2015 Broncs will be short of attacking talent.
James Cairns
Roar Guru
im not too sure, but its a while. yeah, having only one live game is an absolute joke. i understand the need for revenue from more ads, but one delayed game is plenty. channel nine need to take some tips from fox sports. their coverage is at least three million times better. sterlo is the best footy show I've ever seen. the footy show is entertaining, but it annoys me when they try and do analysis cos its so stupid. the sunday footy show is much better for that, but its at a time when not many people can watch it (not awake yet). channel nine need an uppercut.
ken oldman
Guest
Thanks for the info. on Oikee not a simple site is this one... Oikee must have a new found patience....he,ll be back I tell ya.
Parrafan
Guest
Isn't that the frustrating thing. When do the next tv rights come up? 2017? Any muppet could see that having at least 2 live games a week on free telecast would be a winner. However I guess it doesn't result in the same amount of ad time (and resulting revenue for channel 9). Lets hope another network can pick up the telecast rights next time and actually broadcast at least 2 live games a week, and broadcast them to all states. Hopefully they can also implement a show similar to the sunday roast on Thursday night and actually analyse teams prospects for the coming round rather than the worn out concept of the (everything but) Footy Show.
James Cairns
Roar Guru
Thanks :)
Alex L
Roar Rookie
The Sydney Morning Herald has decent online stats, though it's worth noting the meters gained is generally lower than the NRL official stats.
James Cairns
Roar Guru
i know, its so annoying, surely they could work out with the NRL to have live games at 4. we'll have to wait for the next TV rights deal though
Scrubbit
Guest
If nine showed the Sunday game live it'd do better than Friday night games but god forbid they not have a lead in to the news.
Dogs Of War
Roar Guru
Oikee found bigger audience at LU. Doing just as good a job upsetting everybody there.
James Cairns
Roar Guru
brisbane get all friday night games pretty much because of tv ratings, which is unbelievably unfair to other teams but won't change. the delay game on sunday is the great pain of all viewers, i hate when teams score a try because i know an ad is coming.
Scrubbit
Guest
Can I put out a memo calling for more Sunday arvo games for Brisbane? That match would've barely had 24000 if it weren't for the Sunday arvo time slot. And while we're at it why is 9 playing intrust super cup live in Brisbane yet playing the Sunday arvo game on delay?
James Cairns
Roar Guru
Hey any fellow roarers, can someone recommend a place to get good stats for league? i used NRL.com for these, but it didn't have stuff like tackle breaks for some reason. Thanks!