The meteoric rise and fall of sporting stars is a phenomenon that occurs in all professional sports.

Athletes with all the potential and ability in the world leap to the top of their respective sports, enjoying a period of breathing in the lofty air before they are pushed back down.

Problems at home, a few off games or a pie that was in the oven too long can cause them to suddenly fall off the high precipice faster then they rose, and plummet to their ultimate demise.

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All quite dramatic isn’t it?

Ben Barba truly burst onto the scene in the 2012 NRL season for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. With a competition-topping 22 tries and an electricity that led his team to a minor premiership and grand final, Barba was awarded the Dally M Medal. The man could do no wrong.

Trapped in his own in-goal? A few tackle busts and a shimmy and off he went. Receiving a ball with nothing doing in attack? A burst of speed, a left-foot step and a pass to a supporting player. In no less than 12 months he went from a player who suffered under a bomb but could score a try, to the premier player in the NRL.

Two years, several well covered personal incidents, 3000 rumours of discontent with his former club and a move to another state later and where is he?

It’s a good question. The thrilling Ben Barba of 2012 is right where he was then, in 2012.

Where is Ben Barba today? Who knows. Barba is running an average of just 88.75 metres per game, meaning his kick returns and running in semi-open play have been mute. On top of that he has scored one try and made one line break.



Contrastingly, Jarryd Hayne, in scintillating form, has made an average of 160 metres a game, scoring nine tries this season as well as making nine line breaks. But you need only to look at Barba’s replacement at the Bulldogs, Sam Perrett, to put Barba’s stats in perspective.

The ultra-professional veteran, who has played almost his entire career at wing, has averaged an impressive 162 metres a game, while scoring two tries and making three line breaks. Barba isn’t even matching the makeshift fullback who replaced him.

I personally do not think Barba will ever reach the heights of 2012, but he undoubtedly has the skill and ability to again be an elite fullback and a constant threat to opposition defenders.

Today when speaking to the media, Barba addressed his own underwhelming form saying, “Hopefully after this game I can take a bit from it and learn from it today and just go into the next game with more confidence.

“[Settling into the team] was a lot harder than I thought… so it has taken me a while, but there are no excuses now. It’s go time from here to the end of the season.”

That’s great Ben, more words. I think I can speak for all lovers of rugby league when I say we want actions. I’m not sure I can take another story on Ben Barba looking improved and close to some possibly cloudy-with-a-chance-of-okay form.

I definitely can’t take Wally Lewis saying that Barba catching a routine ball is a ‘good sign’ anymore. I want these good signs to direct us to the destination.

The fact is he has barely looked a threat. If Barba doesn’t show some form, back up his words with actions and take the Broncos to a serious finals berth this year, he can expect to be running out in the Queensland Cup next year, making way for one Anthony Milford.

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