Ben Barba is finished with the NRL and will join a Super League club

[betcats]

Barba will be welcomed back with open arms by the NRL, once he has served his penance.

He seems to be doing everything he can to avoid that though.

 

[myrrh ken]

Surely it'll be counted as served in the ESL?

 

[betcats]

Surely it'll be counted as served in the ESL?

Yeah of course if he signs and misses twelve games. I had thought I read the ESL club was trying to get around that though...maybe I was wrong.

 

[Lambretta]

Pretty sure he's close to being signed if the club can convice the RFL to ignore the NRL ban.

Which is looking likely. They don't get many quality NRL players at the peak of their career.

On the Super League coverage on the weekend they were discussing his signing
They said he would still be banned for 12 weeks, but were trying to calculate if he could sign for a team and play in the Finals this season

 

[GongPanther]

No, its his way of saying "cocaine is cheaper in England and as no one in the UK gives a f**k about Rugby League, I can behave like a grade 1 douche bag as much as I want and no one will bat an eyelid. Oh and I'll be able to put in 30% effort and still look like a God"

And it's approx a 1:30 hr flight to Monaco.

 

[Albert Rosenfeld]

Pretty sure he's close to being signed if the club can convice the RFL to ignore the NRL ban.

Which is looking likely. They don't get many quality NRL players at the peak of their career.

Ben Barba in a St Helens jersey will carve up Super League. His combination with star French five eighth Theo Fages will be awesome to watch. Only Castleford, Wigan, and Leeds will be able to control Ben Barba.

 

[LESStar58]

Ben Barba was interviewed by Sky Sports TV at the Magic Weekend in Newcastle, England, UK. He made it clear that he was considering offers from Super League clubs, and will make a decision within the next week. He said that the atmosphere at the Magic Weekend was awesome, and he hoped to play in one such event in the future.

The two clubs with the best chance of signing him are St. Helens and Warrington.

Don't want him at Saints.

 

[LESStar58]

Well you can play for the Storm and only be given a 2 match ban for using the same substance...

Jesus wept. Only a firing squad will be appropriate punishment for some people.

 

[Generalzod]

Jesus wept. Only a firing squad will be appropriate punishment for some people.

Jesus wept indeed he did...

 

[simmo05]

Come to wests benny, bout time we had 1 go our way!

 

[Life's Good]

Carney, TSmith, Bird & Barba. There's gotta be an ESL club that can reunite these ex Sharkies. Imagine the team bonding sessions.......

 

[Albert Rosenfeld]

Don't want him at Saints.

The Saints coach wants him at Saints.

 

[wibble]

No, its his way of saying "cocaine is cheaper in England and as no one in the UK gives a f**k about Rugby League, I can behave like a grade 1 douche bag as much as I want and no one will bat an eyelid. Oh and I'll be able to put in 30% effort and still look like a God"

True, but he'd be earning 1/3 or less than he could get in the NRL.

That must surely come into his calculations (or at least his manager's).

 

[moffla]

Well you can play for the Storm and only be given a 2 match ban for using the same substance...

Which was far more than what Barba got for his first offence.

 

[Lambretta]

True, but he'd be earning 1/3 or less than he could get in the NRL.

That must surely come into his calculations (or at least his manager's).

He'd probably be able to get 300k (Stirling) out of one of the top teams there (with 3rd party top up)
There are plenty of Coke dealers round Manchester way who'd sponsor him

That's about $600 Aussie - so its only down about 25% on what he could get here

He chucks all he earns in pokies anyway - so income is irrelevant
It would only be of interest to his manager who would probably prefer that Ben stays playing where he's not going to get in strife with the media

10% of $600k paid for 5 years is better for him than 10% of $800k over 1 year before the next media scandal and getting sacked

 

[TheFrog]

300k GBP = $520k Aus

 

[adamkungl]

Oh and I'll be able to put in 30% effort and still look like a God"

Rangi Chase and Todd Carney say hi

Actually been a while since an NRL player has torn up SL.

Plodders who put in their best effort (Dobson, Walsh, Cutherbertson, Gidley)
have been a hell of a lot more successful than supposed superstars who've been forced over (Todd Carney, Dave Taylor)

 

[WaznTheGreat]

Ben Barba will dominate the Leeds Rats and Warrington Wombats

 

[Griffoshark66]

Carney, TSmith, Bird & Barba. There's gotta be an ESL club that can reunite these ex Sharkies. Imagine the team bonding sessions.......

Better than a team dinner at Sizzler, that's for sure.

 

[Life's Good]

Better than a team dinner at Sizzler, that's for sure.

Not sure. Never eaten there so I will take your word for it.