(Archived) THE RUMOUR MILL - Player Movement

[Fozzym]

Ben Barba sacked by Toulon and could return to the NRL this year, according to DT

 

[BlackWhiteBlue]

Ben Barba sacked by Toulon and could return to the NRL this year, according to DT

Gettin late in the season for that. Deal would need to be done soon to get him a few games. Tigers potential suitors for next year maybe?

 

[Fozzym]

Gettin late in the season for that. Deal would need to be done soon to get him a few games. Tigers potential suitors for next year maybe?

Barba would be a good fit for the tigers.

However if I'm Flanno, I'm wondering what on earth would possess me to offer Dugan a monster deal considering Barba is now apparently back on the market and Holmes is already signed on fullback money.

 

[Thresher]

If it's true there's no way we could register Barba with our head honcho on the hooch.

 

[Capital_Shark]

Anyone take Barbs back? Even if he sat on the sideline till next yr? I think boat has sailed and Val is our FB investment now, but we've proven Barbs on the cheap at FB works. If I were Val and had my "FB money" deal done I'd play wing outside him again.

Whoever said we need a winger who wants to be a winger was spot on. Hope it wasn't snowy the dead****.

 

[BlackWhiteBlue]

Barba would be a good fit for the tigers.

However if I'm Flanno, I'm wondering what on earth would possess me to offer Dugan a monster deal considering Barba is now apparently back on the market and Holmes is already signed on fullback money.

Are you implying we offer barba a gig?

 

[Western Sharkie]

Ben Barba axed from French rugby club Toulon

BEN Barba’s French rugby dream is reportedly over, just three months after it began.

Despite signing a $2.5 million two-year deal, Barba has been reportedly axed by Toulon, having only just joined the French Top 14 club in February this year.

With Toulon’s season finishing in a matter of weeks French site L’Equipe revealed that Barba will be one of five players not returning to the club next season.

Fellow Australian’s Drew Mitchell, Matt Giteau, Jean-Charles Oriolo and Juanne Smith will join Barba in facing the axe.

Alesana Tuilagi, Ayumu Goromaru, Jimmy Yobo and Jonathan Pelissie are also expected to play no further part at Toulon going forward.

Ironically another NRL star will join Toulon in his place for next season, as Parramatta Eels flyer Semi Radradra has signed on with the glamour side.

Toulon’s current Top 14 season has been a disaster, as the big spenders currently flirt with relegation from the first tier of French rugby.

The axing from Toulon could see Barba set his sights on a return to the National Rugby League, but that plan is complicated by an ongoing suspension he is yet to serve.

Barba still must serve a 12-game ban handed to him for a second strike on the NRL’s illicit drug policy. The premiership winner tested positive after taking cocaine during the Shark’s Grand Final celebrations.

Clubs would also have to find a way to fit Barba under the salary cap, and the NRL will no doubt slap a high price on the former Dally M winner.

It’s unlikely he will feature in the 2017 NRL season, given a 12-week ban would almost take him up to the completion of the competition.

The NRL would also have to rubber stamp any return to the game also.

Barba could look to continue his European sojourn by signing with a club in the English Super League, who do not officially recognise NRL suspensions. However they generally comply with the NRL rulings as part of an ongoing understanding between the two rugby league bodies.

The former Canterbury Bulldogs, Brisbane Broncos and Cronulla Sharks star could also opt to remain in French rugby and link with a different Top 14 side.

Barba’s plans to link with his former club could hit a snag as well, as reports emerged on Wednesday that the Sharks were eyeing another high profile fullback.

Cronulla have reportedly joined the hunt for off-contract St George Illawarra star Josh Dugan as uncertainty about the Test and NSW representative’s future rolls on.

The Sharks are prepared to offer the 27-year-old similar money Jack Bird rejected to join Brisbane last month — close to $1 million a season — the Seven Network reports.

Dugan and Dragons coach Paul McGregor believe his best position is fullback, but St George Illawarra have reportedly tabled him an offer to play centre, a role which typically would pay less.

The Sharks’ incumbent No. 1 is Valentine Holmes.

Dugan is currently sidelined with a broken cheekbone he suffered in a nasty head clash with Dragons teammate Russell Packer during the Anzac Test last Friday night, ruling him out of the derby with the Sharks at UOW Jubilee Oval on Friday evening.

He faces a race against time to be fit for the first State Of Origin clash on May 31 with the injury expected to keep him out for at least three weeks.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/be...n/news-story/e3ddd96aca47d9d8a9180ea4a2c049fe

 

[slide rule]

Hopefully he sues Toulon.

 

[puma1355]

we should bring back barba to replace leutele...

 

[puma1355]

id be stoked with dugan, gagai or chambers.....interesting we throw 1million at dugan and didnt go after tedesco.....
i also think we are baiting chambers and gagai in a bid for dugan to make a decision

 

[Western Sharkie]

The $2.5m question, is......... Why?

Underperforming or something else???
If something else then, no thanks.
Barba helped us win a premiership am I'm forever greatful to him for that but we don't need any more ****e headlines.

 

[D.D]

I think you will fond that Barba is 100% done with our club. Wont ever be back.

 

[BlackWhiteBlue]

I think you will fond that Barba is 100% done with our club. Wont ever be back.

This is not the clubs fault either. Didnt we even give him an advance on his new contract that he bailed on 8 days later?

 

[CHOGM]

im still trying to understand his angle

I saw him play against newtown at Henson for the Sharks reserve grade side, and confused the memory with him playing for the jets when they were our reserve grade side. I'm referring to 2011 when he played NSW cup and made the NSW cup team of the year. I'm just saying he did the yards in ressies and developed into a solid fg player. I just mixed Sharks newtown.

You've been waiting like a wounded bull for me to make an error. Enjoy little man.

 

[snowman]

I saw him play against newtown at Henson for the Sharks reserve grade side, and confused the memory with him playing for the jets when they were our reserve grade side. I'm referring to 2011 when he played NSW cup and made the NSW cup team of the year. I'm just saying he did the yards in ressies and developed into a solid fg player. I just mixed Sharks newtown.

You've been waiting like a wounded bull for me to make an error. Enjoy little man.

i still dont get it? did you never watch 20's games?

 

[sharkstragic]

Bring back Barba Over Dugan

 

[CHOGM]

i still dont get it? did you never watch 20's games?

Never have. No interest. But my point is he did his time in NSW cup, playing sporadically in FG for a couple of seasons, then finally cemented a spot and now is a very good centre. it's uncommon. Usually guys that spend that long in and out of ressies and firsts end up leaving or not going on with it. He played 13 fg games over 4 seasons.

 

[sharks2010]

Would take some serious balls for the club to sign barba, we've had 3 cocaine incidents in the past 5 or so months and he was 1 of them.

The Tigers should go all out for him now so he is ready to go for the start of next year

 

[HaroldBishop]

Yeah doubt we go anywhere near him which is fine by me, happy to stick with Val at the back.

 

[BlackWhiteBlue]

Would take some serious balls for the club to sign barba, we've had 3 cocaine incidents in the past 5 or so months and he was 1 of them.

The Tigers should go all out for him now so he is ready to go for the start of next year

Yep as much as i love him for what he did on the field, but now with 2 new cocaine incidents here, he has no spot at the club. Hopefully he can find a club but that 12 game suspension will hurt his chances of it happening this year. Especially when the nrl want to sign off the salary aspect. A club would need at least 150k i would think. And he might not even get a run this year