Ben Barba facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ben Barba

Personal information
Full name	Benjamin Barba
Born	(1989-06-13) 13 June 1989 (age 36) Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
Height	176 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Weight	91 kg (14 st 5 lb)
Playing information
Rugby league
Position	Fullback, Five-eighth
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 2008–13 Canterbury Bulldogs 97 72 0 0 288 2014 Brisbane Broncos 25 8 0 0 32 2015–16 Cronulla Sharks 46 19 0 0 76 2017–18 St Helens 34 34 0 0 136 Total 202 133 0 0 532 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 2011–16 Indigenous All Stars 6 4 0 0 16 2011 Prime Minister's XIII 1 0 0 0 0
Rugby union
Position	Centre, Wing, Fullback
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 2017 Toulon 4 0 0 0 0
As of 24 January 2022

Benjamin "Ben" Barba (born 13 June 1989) is an Australian former professional rugby player. He was known for playing both rugby league and rugby union. He mostly played as a fullback (fullback) or five-eighth (five-eighth).

Ben Barba won the prestigious Dally M Medal in 2012. This award is given to the best player in the NRL. He also won the Man of Steel Award in 2018. This award is for the best player in the Super League in England. He is only the second player ever to win both of these major awards!

He played for several teams during his career. These include the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Brisbane Broncos, and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. He was part of the Sharks team that won their first ever NRL premiership in 2016. Ben also had a short time playing rugby union for RC Toulonnais in France.

Early Life and Background

Ben Barba was born in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. His family has a mix of backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage.

When he was young, Ben and his family moved from Darwin to Mackay in Queensland. In Mackay, he played junior rugby league for the North Devils. He also went to Mackay State High School and St Patrick's College, Mackay. Ben also played Australian Rules football in school. He was a good goal-kicker, even though he didn't play it as much as rugby.

Rugby League Career Highlights

Ben Barba joined the Bulldogs in 2007 when he was 18. In his first year, he scored many points in the junior competitions. He scored 130 points in 11 games in the Jersey Flegg Cup.

Starting in the NRL (2008-2009)

In 2008, Ben signed a contract to stay with the Bulldogs until 2010. He played most of the season in the Under 20s competition, scoring 26 tries. Many fans wanted him to play in the main NRL team.

Ben made his NRL debut for Canterbury in Round 20 of 2008. This was against the St. George Illawarra Dragons. He scored his first NRL try in Round 22 against the North Queensland Cowboys. He was also named in the 2008 Toyota Cup (Under-20s) Team of the Year.

In 2009, Ben started the season in the first-grade team. After an incident off the field, he played for the Bankstown City Bulls in the NSW Cup for a while. He later returned to the NRL team. He helped Canterbury win a thrilling game against the New Zealand Warriors. Ben scored the winning try in the last few minutes. He also scored three tries in the NSW Cup Grand Final, helping his team win 32-0.

Becoming a Star (2010-2012)

Ben became a regular first-grade player in 2010. In Round 3, he scored three tries against the Sydney Roosters. This exciting performance earned him the nickname "The X-Factor." He finished the season with 15 tries in 21 matches. He was a standout player for Canterbury.

In 2011, Ben played for the Indigenous All Stars team for the first time. He became Canterbury's main fullback (fullback). In Round 6, he scored three tries against the Parramatta Eels. He finished the year as the top try scorer in the NRL with 23 tries.

The 2012 season was amazing for Ben. He was selected for the Queensland State of Origin squad. In Round 16, he made an incredible play against the Melbourne Storm. He ran 70 metres and set up a try for his teammate Josh Morris. On 4 September, Ben won the Dally M Medal as the best player in the NRL. He also won 'People's Choice' Player of the Year and Fullback of the Year. The Canterbury team made it to the 2012 NRL Grand Final. They lost to the Melbourne Storm, but Ben was still the top try scorer for his club and the NRL with 22 tries.

Moving Teams (2013-2016)

In 2013, Ben played for the Indigenous All Stars again. He scored three tries and was named man of the match. He faced some personal challenges that meant he couldn't play for a short time. He returned to the field in Round 4. Later that year, he decided to look for a new team and signed with the Brisbane Broncos.

In 2014, Ben joined the Brisbane Broncos. He played his 100th NRL career match in Round 3. He scored his first try for Brisbane in Round 7. He also played as a five-eighth for some games. In Round 24, he scored three tries against the Newcastle Knights. He played all 25 matches for the Broncos that year. At the end of 2014, he signed a contract with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.

Ben joined the Sharks in 2015. He played at five-eighth for the Indigenous All Stars team. He scored his first try for Cronulla in Round 6. He made a fantastic try-saving tackle in Round 18. He played 19 matches for the Sharks that year.

The 2016 season was a huge success for Ben and the Sharks. He played a very important part in helping Cronulla win their first ever NRL premiership. This was a historic moment for the club. After the season, he left the Sharks to focus on personal matters.

Time in England and Rugby Union (2017-2018)

In 2017, Ben tried playing rugby union for the French team RC Toulonnais. He played four games before leaving the club. Later that year, he signed with the English Super League club St. Helens.

Ben had a fantastic season with St Helens in 2018. He scored 28 tries in 23 games. His team finished at the top of the regular season. In September 2018, he signed a contract to play for the North Queensland Cowboys in 2019. In October 2018, he was named in the 2018 Super League Dream Team. He also won the Man of Steel award, becoming only the second player to win both the Man of Steel and Dally M Medal.

Later Career (2019)

In February 2019, Ben Barba left the North Queensland Cowboys before playing any games for them. He then started working as a metalworker in Mackay, Queensland.

NRL Statistics

Statistics are correct to the end of the 2018 season

NRL

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 premier league. In July 2020, he switched to Australian rules football. He played for the Eastern Swans reserves team. In his first game, he kicked seven goals! He later played for the senior team and kicked six more goals. He was a top goal-kicker in the AFL Mackay competition in 2020, 2021, and 2022. He also represented North Queensland in 2021.

Personal Life

Ben Barba has four daughters with his girlfriend, 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. His younger brother, Marmin, also played rugby league. He won a Queensland Cup premiership and an NRL State Championship.