NRL CHAMPIONS CRONULLA Sharks have released Ben Barba after the fullback failed a drugs test.
Barba reportedly tested positive for cocaine only days after the Sharks won a first Premiership title by beating Melbourne Storm in the grand final last month.
Cronulla revealed the 27-year-old playmaker has left the club to enable him to “address some significant personal issues” and had set off to attend “an intensive overseas programme”.
Barba said: “I know and accept I need to take some time away from the game to deal with some personal issues. I am accountable for myself and my actions and if I don’t address them now I will certainly ruin my career and more importantly my life and that of my family.
“As footballers we often find it hard to speak up about having problems, but this decision has lifted so much pressure off myself that I cannot start to explain just how much better I feel by taking this action.
“I hope to return to the game at some stage and am very grateful for the support of the Cronulla Sharks and I hope that one day I can again play beside this terrific bunch of guys.
“I have made some tremendous friendships both within the playing ranks and throughout the coaching and administration teams. This has made it all the more difficult to make this decision but it’s something I just had to do.”
Barba was a Dally M Medal winner, the award give to the NRL’s Player of the Year, while at the Canterbury Bulldogs in 2012.
He is considered to be one of the most exciting players in the league, and here is why:
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Fingers have never been more crossed for RG.
He’s had more than enough bad luck. Time for him to show what he can do. #SUAF
@Criiochúr Daniel Daithí O’Chathail: Agreed but starting his return on an artificial pitch mightn’t be the smartest move.
@TL55: 100%.
Be mad to test him out there.
Leave it till thomand or any other turf pitch.
That 4g is hard on knees.
@Paddy Waggon: agree… the last 20/25 mins in Limerick as a reintroduction…. A sixth spot for Munster in the URC prior to plays is exactly where they want to be…
Sixth secures HC for next year… but equally important if we finish fifth in the URC we will have to travel to play the team who finished second … guess who another trip to SA for to face the Stormers…. We already have 2 remaining fixtures in SA in the URC run of games and we have the game in the HC (Sharks) … so sixth is our best position …. I’d be more than happy with that and lifting a trophy with Synman. How bad
@Denis O Sullivan: oh by the way sixth in the URC would mean we would have to travel North to play Ulster as the table stands today. Better than going to SA to face Stormers or worse again if the Bulls finish third….
Good luck RG.
No one deserves the bad luck you’ve had.
If the Insta clips are to be believed Ahearn is training with the team, same for Okeke, is anyone signed up for the ‘extra content’ thing? looks to be cameras with them all the time now.