After having the full support of the Canterbury Bulldogs has he dealt with personal issues, will Ben Barba really leave the club and head north to Queensland?
The Daily Telegraph is reporting that the 2012 Dally M Medalist is in the sights of both the Brisbane Broncos and Gold Coast Titans. According to the Telegraph the Bulldogs would only be willing to release Barba if they secure the services of Israel Folau, whose contract talks have once again turned into a circus.
To me, I think this all reads like a player agent who is trying to squeeze more money out of Bulldogs. Barba is only a year and a half into a four year contract that he signed in 2011, the year before he won the Dally M Medal. That mean Barba probably isn’t earning the sort of money players in a similar position
If a player manager can put the idea out there that other clubs are willing to sign their player on big money, and then start telling their client that their current club is under paying them, taking them for granted and holding them back, the seeds are planeted for either a move, or a contract upgrade.
This type of speculation is the very last thing Barba needs right now…
With his on field form still being patchy, and not near the levels he hit last season, and with the Bulldogs still fighting their way back after a terrible start to the season, Barba and the Bulldogs could do without any distractions that take away from their focus on winning football games.
There is no doubt that the Broncos, Titans, or any other club for that matter, would love a chance to get Ben Barba on their books. Once the idea is out there, these things start to gather a momentum of their own. Not only to club officials start thinking about how they could accomodate a player, but no doubt Barba himself will think about what it would be like to move back to Queensland and have a fresh start at a new club.
This will all throw a real spanner in the works for the Bulldogs who would have been putting together their 2014 team on the basis that Barba’s contract would remain at its current level. It also comes after the Bulldogs have just re-signed a number of their current lineup. Basically, this has all come at the very worst time for the Bulldogs.
I’d be shocked if Ben Barba decided to leave. Yes he has a contract, but we all know what a contract is worth these days. Still, with the support the Bulldogs given Barba this year, you’d hope he showed some loyalty towards the club. After all, there can be no doubt the Bulldogs showed loyalty to Barba earlier this year, and as I always say, loyalty is a two way street.
