Benjamin Barba has been released from the Sharks after a positive cocaine test came back amid Cronulla’s historic Grand Final celebrations. While there’s no doubt it’s a bad thing to be doing, has Barba been jipped by unfortunate timing?
First things first – no one should be condoning the use of illegal drugs (stay in school, kids) and I certainly am not, but it does seem like an odd time to be pulled up on something like this.
The Sharks will have deservedly been partying long and hard after breaking one of the longest sporting droughts in Australian history.
Barba has gone past the VB tinnies and “better than Lego” interviews and hit some stronger hardware in his celebrations, and now will face the consequences of those actions.
Some reports are saying Barba was tested four days after the Grand Final.
That’s a bit of a setup if there ever was one to catch someone off guard. Much like the policeman that sits around the corner from the local pub on a Saturday night, it’s a system made to catch people out.
Again, the fact he’s now gone off to rehab and will take time away to sort out his life is a great outcome, but his NRL career has been smacked right in the face and he now faces an unknown road towards the future.
His own teammate was suspected of supporting a convicted murderer towards the end of the season, and was issued nothing but a verbal warning from the club.
Mitch Pearce was given a solid ban for his Australia Day shenanigans, but the club kept him and the NRL took no further action against him.
In many cases, especially in other codes, this out-of-season behaviour is considered as non-football related recreational drug use that falls out of the punishment zone.
Clubs have every right to discipline a player under their contract but rarely is it in a situation like this, out of season and among club celebrations.
Cronulla boss Lyall Gorman is adamant that Barba was the only offender among accusations that the 2012 Dally M winner wasn’t alone in his infringement.
It just feels a bit out of place, like there’s more to this story than we’re being told – and the fans agree.
Sports people with money to burn and the access to certain people and situations are constantly tempted by the darker side of fame.
Ben Barba’s certainly not the first and won’t be the last to do it, but how many have actually been caught out?
Wendell Sailor was given a lengthy ban by the ARU for the same substance back in 2006, Ben Cousins has had a very checkered history over in the AFL during his playing days – not to mention the saga at the Titans a couple of years ago.
That’s three instances off the top of my head without Google. It does happen, people do get pinned for it, but it’s not a common occurrence when you imagine how many other players may have been doing the same thing.
Barba has been released by the Sharks and has a 12-game ban courtesy of the NRL if he does return. But where to now?
Will he take the season off? Will he just bail and go to England? Rugby maybe? In simple terms, he’s been pushed out the door and may never come back.
Jacko
Guest
Yeah those ugly double standards rear their ugly head again.
Jacko
Guest
He is well known for it in Brisbane
Jacko
Guest
Mick this is for you and eaglejack. Manslaughter: the crime of killing a human being without malice aforethought, or in circumstances not amounting to murder. Murder: the unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another I dont condone what he did, and I believe it is a very sad situation with no winners, including Loverage, but there is a big difference between murder and manslaughter
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
Neither
nor, strangely, nor offer anything in response to what has been posted by me or by EagleJack.JVGO
Guest
Like you know you point out that Loveridge is not actually a 'convicted murderer' and you have the revenge of the idiots break out. Fifita, me, the Cronulla Sharks, whoever are all now guilty by association with murdering someone because we might refrain from joining a lynch mob. Just a tiny example of the general insanity.
JVGO
Guest
Ok facts are irrelevant. Brilliant. No wonder we have Trump as the most powerful person earth, because you know facts are simply irrelevant.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
As funny as a circus - a very fit bloke blunders about Kings Cross belting five strangers, killing one of them and you want to bleat about "mob vendettas" and "ignoring the facts"? I don't know that the Kelly family, which is minus two sons, would be persuaded by your sensitivities on behalf of the guilty. In March last year it was reported Loveridge was "being investigated by police for allegedly stomping on the head of an inmate in a Kempsey jail on March 10". He gets to resume his peculiar social interaction practices with the general public in 2026.
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Mob vendettas against Loveridge? Are you serious? Whether he's convicted of murder or manslaughter is irrelevant. He killed an innocent young man for absolutely no reason. And is in prison because of it. The fact intent was difficult to prove does not make his actions any less significant. Stop embarrassing yourself.
JVGO
Guest
It's pretty outrageous that The Roar doesn't edit this really. This is how mob vendettas against Loveridge escalate and become vendettas against Andrew Fifita, against The Cronulla Sharks, against Ben Barba, against Rugby League in general, me or whoever, just blatant ignoring the facts. If the Telegraph printed this it would only take one phone call complaint to the press council and they would have to immediately retract it.
clipper
Guest
They are two different things, but it is very hard to prove intent, this is why the prosecution will often go for a manslaughter charge if the accused changes their plea to guilty. Don't forget he was charged with murder and having coward punched 4 other people on the night would show intent, just getting it over the line with a long trial might've been hard.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Perhaps he should have been a journalist. Get caught DUI(putting other lives at risk) twice and still retain your career .Strange world indeed .
Rob
Guest
Squidman you're killing me with the insults. Sook, cry baby, redneck, chips and tin foil hats. Let me guess I have two heads also? If you knew the CEO like i do, you would realise he makes good money selling the over cashed players real estate. They actually paid overs you pelican. So the contradiction? Are you saying they didn't look after South or Sharks but rigged the Cowboys Premiership with a flick pass on the siren. LOL. Back to back penalties certainly helped get the Premiership. Ennis shoulder charge fiasco which now absolves just about everyone? 7 tackle try. Sandor Earl 2 years, Gallen and mates zip. Player dies with others suffering medical issues and coach is welcomed back with open arms. I'm sorry you're so offend about me not enjoying Gallen and Flanagan and to a lesser extent Fafita and Barba, receiving a premiership ring. Get over it. ET, Rodgers, Miller and Peachy and others were far more deserving.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Yeh, but he hasn't been caught DUI, and most people in society are not tested by their employer during their holiday.
Wal
Roar Guru
For any of us who rely on our drivers licence for our Job, we'd be lucky to get off so lightly. First offence DUI I lose my licence and my job.
Spongebob
Guest
I find it very hard to imagine him doing cocaine.
Hoy
Roar Guru
Why Thailand? Don't we have some form of rehab in Australia for normal people? That wouldn't have been enough? Had to go to Thailand for goodness sake?
Martha
Guest
He did the "line" now do the time!
Arnold Krewanty
Guest
The questions remains about the mentality of current Nrl players. If we, the average joe, were paid $650k a year to play professional footy, would you be doing drugs??? Dumb as bat s..t
Squidward
Roar Rookie
People prefer the more sensationalised words. Even if they're not fact
Squidward
Roar Rookie
You've just contradicted yourself with that team that sits between Sharks and souths. Don't pretend to yourself if you think these too a rigged that NRL poster child winning in golden point isn't any less history happens than the other two. Take the tin foil hat off the chip on your shoulder, go get some greatly reduced real estate off your team CEO and put that tin foil hat back on your head to cover the red neck