Ben Barba sacked by Cowboys and facing deregistration - Consolidated Thread

[Bob dog]

Lets have an investigation into the Greenberg cover up.
Barba to play in the All stars only if his girl consents.

 

[dogluva]

One of Mr Greenbergs pets has well and truly shown his true colours......unfortunately AGAIN. What an astute decision by Todd to allow this Muppet back into the NRL after previous " alleged" assault, drug bans etc. Shows how skewed his judgement is of personal character assessment and this guy is still doing it now with some real whoppers...Lodge anyone? All hot air and noise from Greenberg about punishments etc. Ability and drawing power is all he thinks about...time to move on Todd. Enough about our games leader though.....

Barba had us fooled early on that he was a solid family man ( well in conversations with him he certainly fooled me) and that his indiscretions of the past ( in particular 2013 at the Dogs) were just that...in the past. There was a time in 2009 though when I had a talk to one of the players involved in the car park brawl and got his side of the story..let me say that it made me think Barba may have been a bit of an asshole despite the spin put on it in the press) The following article is a damning indictment of his predilection for misbehavior particularly where alcohol was concerned. Check out the timeline 11 incidents in his career spanning 12 years ( with an interruption of his England stint)


https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11...-of-scandals-derailed-a-promising-nrl/8004488

Ben Barba: How a history of scandals derailed a bright NRL career
Updated 23 Feb 2018, 12:31pm

RELATED STORY: Sharks player Ben Barba cut loose after positive drug test
After bursting onto the NRL scene as an exciting attacking weapon Ben Barba won the Dally M Medal as the best player in the league in 2012. But the very next season, things began to unravel.

Look over the ups and downs of this troubled star's career.

July, 2008

July, 2009

September 4, 2012

February, 2013

August, 2013

September, 2013

January, 2014

November, 2014

October, 2016

November, 2016
NRL debut
July, 2008
PHOTO: Barba's try scoring feats began in his debut season. (AAP: Colin Whelan)


Barba made his NRL debut for the Canterbury Bulldogs in round 20 after dazzling for the club's Under 20s. He would not become a regular first-grader until 2010.

Carpark brawl with team-mates
July, 2009
Barba's first-grade season was curtailed when he got into a drunken fight with team-mates Lee te Maari and Jamal Idris in the carpark of the Wentworthville Hotel.

Sensational season lights up NRL
September 4, 2012
PHOTO: Ben Barba was named the best player in the NRL in 2012. (AAP: Paul Miller)


After developing into one of the Bulldogs' star players and earning a reputation as a try-scoring machine, the full-back played his best season yet in 2012.

He was the top try-scorer in the NRL with 22 tries from 27 matches, many of them show-stoppers, and went on to win the Dally M Medal as the best player in the NRL.

Stood down by Bulldogs
February, 2013
PHOTO: Barba's career hit a major speedbump in 2013. (AAP: Dean Lewins)


Bulldogs chief executive Todd Greenberg said Barba had breached the club's code of conduct as a result of his off-field behaviour and has numerous personal issues to resolve, standing the player down indefinitely.

Barba was said to be struggling with the breakdown of his relationship with his long-term girlfriend and Greenberg pointed to alcohol and gambling among a multitude of personal issues troubling him.

"Ben needs help," he said.

Johnathan Thurston was called as a late replacement for Barba at the NRL's season launch, though the Bulldogs player remained in the competition's promotional videos.

Barba entered a treatment facility before returning to training with the Bulldogs. He played his first game of the season in round four in March.

Bulldogs fans angered by push for move away
August, 2013
Seeking a release from the final two years of his contract with Canterbury to move to Brisbane, Barba angered fans of the club by posting a photo on Instagram with the caption: "Miss the QLD weather! #beautifulOneDay #spectacularTheNext".
The move away was confirmed in August, with the Bulldogs granting him a release to the Broncos.

"These guys not only saved my footy career but my life," Barba said of the Bulldogs.

"I can't be thankful enough for what they've done."

Reports emerge that Barba punched a woman in the face
September, 2013
PHOTO: Canterbury and the NRL were criticised for their handling of the Barba issue. (AAP: Colin Whelan)


The Bulldogs asked the NRL integrity unit to investigate media reports that Barba punched a woman in the face. The incident was alleged to have been the reason he spent a fortnight in rehabilitation in February.

A newspaper published pictures of Barba's ex-partner Ainslie Currie with a cut to her face, prompting claims of a cover-up by the club for failing to inform the NRL about the incident.

An independent inquiry by Tony Bannon SC cleared Canterbury and Greenberg of wrongdoing in their handling of the Barba issue.

Broncos stay short lived
2014
PHOTO: Barba's form for the Broncos was mediocre. (AAP/Action Photographics: Colin Whelan)


Despite starring on debut, Barba endured a poor season with Brisbane. The arrival of coach Wayne Bennett signalled the end of his short-lived Broncos career, with Barba told he would not be needed in 2015.

Move to Sharks, desire to stay out of trouble
November, 2014
After securing a move to the Cronulla Sharks, Barba admitted he had failed to produce his best football since 2012.

"The footy I've played the last two years hasn't been too crash hot," Barba said.

He was confident he had developed the maturity to stay out of trouble off the field.

"If ever things start going wrong, I'll still seek help, but at the moment I think I'm doing pretty well with the people I have in my life," Barba said.

Return to form, grand final win
October, 2016
PHOTO: Barba scored the firs try of the NRL grand final. (AAP: David Moir)


Barba enjoyed a marked improvement at the Sharks, thriving behind a big forward pack and combining well with Valentine Holmes.

In 2016 he notched 16 tries and was an key player in Cronulla's maiden premiership win.

Positive drugs test results in Sharks axing
November, 2016
PHOTO: Barba said his release from the Sharks is the best thing for him. (AAP Image: Mick Tsikas)


The 27-year-old's career is now at a crossroads after he tested positive for cocaine following the grand final win and was released by the Sharks.

In a statement released by the Sharks, Barba said the decision was made in the interests of his career and his family.

"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," he said.

WOW, just WOW...

Get a load of the comment made by Barba....obviously he had no idea or understanding what he was saying because he still did not take accountability for his stupidity.... unfortunately I think he will use the old chestnut " I know that alcohol is my downfall and I will cease using it as a crutch to escape the pressures of my life.It makes me do things that in the normal case I would not do " Yep Benny say something often enough and it might sink in.


Hopefully if Greenberg is true to his word Barba will finally have no place in this game. Kudos to the Cowboys for sacking him quickly and with public comment. Their won't need to be an investigation into how they handled the situation unlike the one with Greenberg and Canterbury which a lot at the time thought stunk to high heaven and smacked of cover up. Oh my there are so many cliches we could use here one of them being ' a leopard can't change its spots'................................

 

[Mr 95%]

Sheesh..all that talent..bottled up in a dickhead..

 

[dogluva]

A ratbag, I can’t believe he keeps getting away with it. Maybe this might be it him for him but I bet his wife again won’t press charges.

Didn't last time and that is what killed the investigation then. I wonder if Todd will give him a character reference for this little hiccup..

 

[dogluva]

I think the he had to play for the Sharks if he came back to play NRL in 2019 but they signed Shaun Johnson so they won’t be able to fit him in. Holmes will have to change his whole body for NFL so I doubt he will do much even if he does come back to the Cowboys. There’s not too many other options for the Cowboys now to fill fullback this close to the season.

All valid points. They have a million wingers/ centres and only Carlin Anderson who is listed as being a fullback. Hasn't Bowen or O'Neill played fullback before?

 

[dogluva]

If he does that in public, can you imagine what he does to her when no one is around

That is one of the sad things about DV. It can definitely work both ways ( woman can be the instigator) and unfortunately the self worth of the person being assaulted is so low that they truly think they deserve it or that it will get better. She needs to get out of there ASAP, should have done so before ,yet the reality of it all is that even though things have been clouded for years they have had more kids together. Think of them, four little girls growing up in a house where bad things happen. It is a vicious cycle....


On a different note, surely close family would have had suspicions seeing this is well, sort of confirmed by CCTV vision. Why no actions from them? Have they tried to help?

 

[The DoggFather]

Does he have to face a real court, or the abo "get out of jail free because of my skin colour" court?

 

[dogluva]

Sheesh..all that talent..bottled up in a dickhead..

Ah.. dickhead in a bottle?

Makes me sad to see all the young blokes that just don't quite make it because they did not have that God given talent and then ones like Barba who throw it all away..now that just makes me plain angry.

 

[dogluva]

Does he have to face a real court, or the abo "get out of jail free because my skin colour" court?

Mmm...good point. Wonder what his defence will be this time around.

I guess he thinks that his fame will protect him and that he won't take accountability for his actions.

 

[GoTheDoggies]

Lets all laugh at the Cowboys for signing him in the first place

 

[dogluva]

I bet you don't hear a pep from Greenberg on this he will be hoping this goes away quick smart in case any skeletons come out of his closet.

Ooh... I love a conspiracy theory..

In the last instance an investigation showed no cause for further investigation of the club or Greenberg. Wonder just how water tight that was....

An independent inquiry by Tony Bannon SC cleared Canterbury and Greenberg of wrongdoing in their handling of the Barba issue.

 

[Heckler]

Like I mentioned before, this well and truly falls back on Greenberg. Although not responsible for Barbas actions, his stance on this behaviour was all talk and no action. He gave the green light for him to return despite past indiscretions. He was the one who covered him up at the dogs, which could be seen as commendable, however he is now been caught in an uncompromising position. He should fall on his sword.

 

[Lil Ms Fabulous]

I know someone who works in Security at The Ville and I cannot wait for what he has to say next time I see him (He is married to a friend of mine)

 

[Alan79]

Like I mentioned before, this well and truly falls back on Greenberg. Although not responsible for Barbas actions, his stance on this behaviour was all talk and no action. He gave the green light for him to return despite past indiscretions. He was the one who covered him up at the dogs, which could be seen as commendable, however he is now been caught in an uncompromising position. He should fall on his sword.

It extends beyond his treatment of Barba now. Too many scumbags have been invited back into our game under his tenure. Shit runs downhill and he's the septic tank on the tip of the mountain

 

[Spoonman84]

Ooh... I love a conspiracy theory..

In the last instance an investigation showed no cause for further investigation of the club or Greenberg. Wonder just how water tight that was....

Wasn’t Greenberg “investigated” after he started working at the NRL? There’s no way they ever going to do anything to their new star recruit.

 

[south of heaven]

He's got a lot of free time to rejoin the epic bender crew.
Remember back in the day when he first decked his mrs there was another chic involved she went very quiet didn't she dont be suprised is she pipes up now.to my understanding there was more than one woman hit that night

 

[The_Chimpster]

Sharks to pick him up...

Yep, he's going home. Even started training with the shonkies this morning

 

[Kaz]

the kennel was involved in the cover up the first time around

Not really, but I remember that posters here were defending him. (unless some of the posters were the board etc)

Now some, now want him jailed for during exactly the same thing.

 

[Baby Blues]

These footballers need to learn how to be real men and not an overgrown and overpaid man-child. A real man would take responsibility and look after his family not do the long list of crap Barba has against his name. I hope there's a video of this alleged assault so that he doesn't get any more chances as it's obvious he never learned his lesson.

 

[Mr 95%]

Ah.. dickhead in a bottle?

Makes me sad to see all the young blokes that just don't quite make it because they did not have that God given talent and then ones like Barba who throw it all away..now that just makes me plain angry.

100% agree!