Ben Barba facts for kids
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Personal information
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| Full name | Benjamin Barba | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 13 June 1989 Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia |
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| Height | 176 cm (5 ft 9 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 91 kg (14 st 5 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Playing information
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Rugby league
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| Position | Fullback, Five-eighth | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Rugby union
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| Position | Centre, Wing, Fullback | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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As of 24 January 2022
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Benjamin Barba, born on June 13, 1989, is a former professional rugby player from Australia. He played both rugby league and rugby union. Ben was known for playing as a fullback or five-eighth.
He achieved great success in his career. In 2012, while playing for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, he won the Dally M Medal. This award is given to the best player in the NRL. Later, in 2016, he helped the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks win their first-ever NRL championship. In 2018, he also won the Man of Steel Award for the best player in the Super League, while playing for St Helens. Ben Barba is one of only two players to win both the Dally M Medal and the Man of Steel award.
Contents
Early Life and Background
Ben Barba was born in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. His family has Aboriginal, Afghan, and Torres Strait Islander heritage. When he was young, his family moved from Darwin to Mackay.
In Mackay, Ben played junior rugby league for the North Devils. He also went to Mackay State High School and St Patrick's College, Mackay. Besides rugby league, he played Australian Rules football in school. He was a good goal-kicker in that sport too.
Rugby League Career Highlights
Ben Barba signed with the Bulldogs in 2007 when he was 18. In his first season, he scored 130 points in 11 games in the Jersey Flegg competition. He continued to impress in the Under 20s, scoring many tries.
Starting in the NRL (2008-2009)
Ben made his first NRL appearance for Canterbury in 2008. This was in Round 20 against the St. George Illawarra Dragons. He scored his first NRL try in Round 22 against the North Queensland Cowboys. At the end of 2008, he was named in the Toyota Cup (Under-20s) Team of the Year.
In 2009, Ben started the season playing in the first-grade team. He scored a winning try against the New Zealand Warriors in Round 18. This was a memorable moment for him and the team. He also helped the Bankstown City Bulls win the NSW Cup Grand Final, scoring three tries in that game.
Becoming a Star (2010-2012)
In 2010, Ben became a regular player for Canterbury. In Round 3, he scored three tries against the Sydney Roosters. This exciting performance earned him the nickname "The X-Factor." He finished the 2010 season with 15 tries in 21 matches.
The 2011 season was also very successful for Ben. He made his representative debut for the Indigenous All Stars team. He became Canterbury's main fullback. In Round 6, he scored three tries against the Parramatta Eels. He finished the year as one of the top try scorers in the NRL with 23 tries.
The 2012 season was amazing for Ben Barba. He played for the Indigenous All Stars again. In Round 16, he created a fantastic try for his teammate Josh Morris against the Melbourne Storm. This play started near his own try line and involved him running 70 meters. On September 4, he won the prestigious Dally M Medal for the best player in the NRL. He also won 'People's Choice' Player of the Year and Fullback of the Year. Canterbury reached the 2012 NRL Grand Final, but they lost to the Melbourne Storm. Ben finished 2012 as the top try scorer in the NRL with 22 tries in 27 matches.
Moving Clubs (2013-2016)
In 2013, Ben played for the Indigenous All Stars again and scored three tries. He was named man of the match. He later returned to play for Canterbury. He asked to leave the Bulldogs to play for the Brisbane Broncos, as his family was from Queensland. He played his last game for Canterbury in the finals.
In 2014, Ben joined the Brisbane Broncos. He played his 100th NRL career match in Round 3. In Round 24, he scored three tries against the Newcastle Knights. He played in all 25 matches for the Broncos that year, scoring eight tries. At the end of 2014, he signed a contract with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.
Ben joined the Cronulla Sharks in 2015. He played for the Indigenous All Stars again. He scored his first try for Cronulla in Round 6. He also made a great try-saving tackle in Round 18. He played 19 matches and scored three tries in his first year with the Sharks.
The 2016 season was a highlight for Ben and the Sharks. He played a key role in helping Cronulla win their first-ever NRL premiership. This was a historic moment for the club.
Playing in England (2017-2018)
In 2017, Ben briefly played rugby union for RC Toulonnais in France. Later that year, he signed with the English Super League club St. Helens.
He had a very successful season with St Helens in 2018. He scored 28 tries in 23 games. St Helens finished the regular season as the top team. In October 2018, Ben won the Man of Steel award, which is given to the best player in the Super League. He became only the second player to win both the Dally M Medal and the Man of Steel award.
NRL Statistics
Statistics are correct to the end of the 2018 season
NRL
| † | Denotes seasons in which Barba won an NRL Premiership |
| Season | Team | Matches | T | G | GK % | F/G | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 |  Canterbury-Bankstown |
4 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 4 |
| 2009 | Canterbury-Bankstown |
4 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 4 |
| 2010 | Canterbury-Bankstown |
21 | 15 | 0 | — | 0 | 60 |
| 2011 | Canterbury-Bankstown |
24 | 23 | 0 | — | 0 | 92 |
| 2012 | Canterbury-Bankstown |
27 | 22 | 0 | — | 0 | 88 |
| 2013 | Canterbury-Bankstown |
17 | 10 | 0 | — | 0 | 40 |
| 2014 |  Brisbane |
25 | 8 | 0 | — | 0 | 32 |
| 2015 |  Cronulla-Sutherland |
19 | 3 | 0 | — | 0 | 12 |
| 2016† | Cronulla-Sutherland |
27 | 16 | 0 | — | 0 | 64 |
| Career totals | 168 | 99 | 0 | — | 0 | 396 | |
Super League
| Season | Team | Matches | T | G | GK % | F/G | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 |  St Helens |
5 | 3 | 0 | — | 0 | 12 |
| 2018 | St Helens |
29 | 31 | 0 | — | 0 | 124 |
| Career totals | 34 | 34 | 0 | — | 0 | 136 | |
Other Sports
Ben Barba has also tried playing other sports. In April 2019, he joined the Mackay Rangers soccer club. He played several games in the Mackay Regional Football premier league.
In July 2020, he made another change and played Australian rules football. He joined the Eastern Swans reserves team in the AFL Mackay competition. He played as a full forward and kicked seven goals in his first game! He then played for the senior team and kicked six more goals. Ben was a top goal-kicker in the league in 2020, 2021, and 2022. He also represented North Queensland in a match in 2021.
Personal Life
Ben Barba has four daughters with his partner, Ainslie Currie.
His older brother, Aaron, also played rugby league. He set a record for most tries in a season in the Queensland Cup in 2003. Ben's younger brother, Marmin, also played rugby league. He won a Queensland Cup premiership and an NRL State Championship with the Ipswich Jets.
