Cronulla Sharks circle Ben Barba

[jon50n]

The Sharkies must be desperate sacking one trouble maker and now looking at signing another!

We let him go to start fresh in QLD and now he wants to come back, kinda sick of these players leaving us and then coming back to Sydney, oh well we are better without them anyways

Go the Mighty BLUE and WHITE, 2015 is our year!

Cronulla Sharks circle Ben Barba as a replacement for Todd Carney

DateOctober 21, 2014 - 11:30PM

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Adrian Proszenko

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Hot property: Broncos playmaker Ben Barba. Photo: Getty Images​

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Cronulla are in negotiations to sign Ben Barba as a replacement for sacked superstar Todd Carney.
Fairfax Media can reveal the Sharks have earmarked Barba to fill the vacant No.6 jersey and are hopeful Brisbane will grant him a release in order to join the wooden spooners next year.
The Sharks are cashed up and desperate for a quality playmaker after sacking Carney over his latest indiscretion, a vulgar photo which effectively ended his NRL career. Carney, who was the highest-paid player in Cronulla's history, has subsequently signed a three-year deal with French Super League outfit Catalans Dragons.

Shark target ... Ben Barba in action for Brisbane last season.​

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The Sharks have been scouring the globe for a marquee man to fill the void and are targeting one former Dally M medallist to replace the another.
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Barba made his name as a fullback and earned the game's top gong playing in the position for Canterbury during a breakthrough 2012 season, in which he scored 23 tries from 24 games. He has subsequently struggled to reproduce that form and again failed to meet expectations in his much-publicised shift to Brisbane.
However, the 25-year-old showed some promising signs toward the end of last season when handed the Broncos No.6 jersey. Those performances have piqued the interest of Cronulla powerbrokers, who view Barba as an ideal foil for reliable halfback Jeff Robson.

Former Dally M medallist and disgraced star Todd Carney. Photo: Getty Images​

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The Broncos have a surplus of fullbacks and five-eighths and are keen to move at least one of them on to free up salary cap space. Canberra recruit Anthony Milford has been identified as the long-term successor to champion pivot Darren Lockyer at Red Hill and is equally adept at playing fullback.
Wayne Bennett has gone on record as describing former Knight Darius Boyd as the club's best option for the No.1 jersey, while Justin Hodges has shown he can be just as devastating at the back as he is in the centres. Josh Hoffman, who has split his time between fullback and five-eighth, has been granted permission to negotiate with other clubs although the Broncos have promised to honour his contract should he wish to stay put.
If Barba leaves, it remains to be seen whether Bennett will be less inclined to let Hoffman go, although Parramatta may make a play for the New Zealand international as a replacement for NFL hopeful Jarryd Hayne.
It's understood negotiations between the Sharks and Barba's camp are advanced and it's unlikely Brisbane will stand in his way should a release be sought. The only complicating factor is that Barba was released to the Queensland powerhouse on compassionate grounds so as to be closer to the family of his partner Ainslie Currie. It's unclear whether a return to Sydney would be a palatable one for his young family.
The addition of Barba would be a huge boost for a Shire outfit that farewelled a number of promising and established players including Carney, Michael Lichaa, John Morris and Beau Ryan. Their only other marquee recruit is Canterbury hooker and co-captain Michael Ennis. Suspended coach Shane Flanagan is expected to return to the fold in coming weeks.

 

[pisssst]

I wonder if ennis has anything to do with the Sharks being interested in barba

 

[Wolfmother]

Another ex bulldog ? Should rename themselves to bullsharks

 

[Raysie]

Carney as big an idiot as he was, is harmless. All the dumb shit he did was to himself. Barba on the other hand is the type of idiot that let's it out onto others.

Going from Carney to Barba would be a downgrade on-field and off-field.

 

[Raysie]

Another ex bulldog ? Should rename themselves to bullsharks

They're known as the Penrith-Bankstown Tigers.

 

[Alan79]

Barba is a hand grenade with a degradable pin that depends on his moods. You just don't know if he will blow the opposition off the park or blow up team morale. If he is happy to be playing he could be great again, if he is still holding himself in a high regard and thinking the game owes him he will continue to be average. If they sign him on big money they should make a lot of that based on performance indicators so he knows he has to work to earn his pay.

As a Bulldogs fan i should be outraged to think that he might return to Sydney after supposedly leaving to be near family. I don't care though. I'm just glad we don't have that hand grenade waiting to destroy a season.

 

[jo_95]

Eh... I think if I was a sharks fan I'd rather have carney... As you guys have already said he is a better player and only harms himself off the field.

 

[Alan79]

Carney as big an idiot as he was, is harmless. All the dumb shit he did was to himself. Barba on the other hand is the type of idiot that let's it out onto others.

Going from Carney to Barba would be a downgrade on-field and off-field.

In his early days when Carney was doing criminal things (car theft and joy riding from memory?) i would have said they were on par with each other. But you are correct about Carney now just behaving in a manner that harms himself. If rumors carried in the Barba gate private message are to be believed Barba made an ass if himself in every facet of his life. Home, work and in the public eye.

We may have to pass up some talented players due to the no dickheads policy but it's really nice not to have to defend the Bulldogs brand when someone makes bad headlines for the club.

 

[Ahecee]

Couldn't get past the first photo caption "Hot property: Broncos playmaker Ben Barba"

Since when does not being wanted by your current club, and the sharks wanting you make you hot property? No doubt the Raiders would want him too, given they can't attract any players, but still, far from hot property

Also, not a play maker...... a fullback that has fallen so far that he can't hold his own spot in a team, playmaker due to necessity, not because that is his actual position.

He does play for the Broncos, and his name is Ben Barba though.... so, 3 out of 6 of those words don't make me lol

 

[Qld-Dog]

Couldn't get past the first photo caption "Hot property: Broncos playmaker Ben Barba"

Since when does not being wanted by your current club, and the sharks wanting you make you hot property? No doubt the Raiders would want him too, given they can't attract any players, but still, far from hot property

Also, not a play maker...... a fullback that has fallen so far that he can't hold his own spot in a team, playmaker due to necessity, not because that is his actual position.

He does play for the Broncos, and his name is Ben Barba though.... so, 3 out of 6 of those words don't make me lol

Your first sentence says it all!!
I am not a fan of Todd Carney either but, as far a being a playmaker goes Carney would leave Barba for dead! besides even if he was contemplating moving south of the border again there's all that home sickness remember?

 

[Kiwidog77]

In his early days when Carney was doing criminal things (car theft and joy riding from memory?) i would have said they were on par with each other. But you are correct about Carney now just behaving in a manner that harms himself. If rumors carried in the Barba gate private message are to be believed Barba made an ass if himself in every facet of his life. Home, work and in the public eye.

We may have to pass up some talented players due to the no dickheads policy but it's really nice not to have to defend the Bulldogs brand when someone makes bad headlines for the club.

I agree he may have been a great player but his off field goings on could be harmful to the Bulldogs brand which has taken time to rebuild he's not worth it in the end no one is bigger than the club.

 

[Qld-Dog]

Barba is a hand grenade with a degradable pin that depends on his moods. You just don't know if he will blow the opposition off the park or blow up team morale. If he is happy to be playing he could be great again, if he is still holding himself in a high regard and thinking the game owes him he will continue to be average. If they sign him on big money they should make a lot of that based on performance indicators so he knows he has to work to earn his pay.

As a Bulldogs fan i should be outraged to think that he might return to Sydney after supposedly leaving to be near family. I don't care though. I'm just glad we don't have that hand grenade waiting to destroy a season.

Hi Alan, you forgot to add the word "again" to your last sentense. This tool caused us huge problems for the last couple of years quitting on his team mates, we are still recovering by not finding a specialist FB.

 

[Natboy]

I hope he signs with the sharks so I can heckle the crap out of him again

 

[GRKDOG]

Isn't his ebc in the shire? Maybe he is home sick of being too far from his ebc family.

****ing piece of shit.

 

[Natboy]

Isn't his ebc in the shire? Maybe he is home sick of being too far from his ebc family.

****ing piece of shit.

Yep unfortunately Daniel Folkes and all the little annoying turds live here

 

[mearsey]

Could be a smokescreen for a Belmore return . If he goes to the Sharks next year they will have a very good side

 

[yearofthedog]

He shouldn't be able to play for any other club bar Brisbane and Gold Coast and if they don't want him he should be relegated to Queensland cup for a couple years

 

[Dog Till I Die]

Could be a smokescreen for a Belmore return . If he goes to the Sharks next year they will have a very good side

As Freddy Fender once said...

"Until the next teardrop falls"

 

[Interestingg]

I will be so happy if this happens. Barba joining a wooden spoon contender....licking my lips, especially if he plays 5/8

 

[Bob dog]

Didn't he leave for a reason?
Isn't that reason still there?
They would have to offer him mega bux.