New- look Cowboys hope for home run
THE “go- home” factor is set to spark the Cowboys next year with star recruit Ben Barba declaring playing in front of family and wearing the same jersey as Matt Bowen helped convince him to join the club.
Barba, who has been relaxing at home in Mackay after winning the English Super League's Man of Steel award with St Helens, made a brief visit to Cowboys headquarters yesterday.
The 29- year- old headlines mass changes to the club’s strike power out wide, with Dragons winger and Cairns product Nene Macdonald also lured closer to home after signing a three- year deal.
Barba has been given a one- year contract and will be keen to prove he still has the X- factor that saw him win a Dally M medal and a premiership with Cronulla in 2016.
“Growing up with some of the guys I looked up to, Matty and that, to wear the colours they wore was something I wanted to do,” Barba told the Cowboys website yesterday.
“It’s just an opportunity to come back to where I’m from. I’ve played most of my senior footy in Sydney, and now to be just down the road where I grew up in Mackay, it’s going to give the chance for family who haven’t seen me play live to see me a little bit more.
“This Cows forward pack is one of the best in the comp. I watched some of the boys play the other night ( when Australia beat Tonga) and me and my dad were just chomping at the bit, knowing I was pretty lucky to play with guys like that.”
With stalwart outside backs Antonio Winterstein and Kane Linnett also gone, the Cowboys have recruited Souths Logan Magpies centre Daniel Russell, Broncos cen- tre Tom Opacic and resigned Javid Bowen for one year.
Cowboys director of football Peter Parr told the Cowboys website recently that Barba’s stellar form in England had convinced them they weren’t taking a risk in luring him back to the NRL.
“With Lachlan Coote’s departure we were looking for a fullback, and a specialist fullback who had performed at the top level,” Parr said.
“He had an unbelievable year in England and he’s from Mackay, he ticked all the boxes.
“He’s been out of the NRL for a little while but given his form in England we don’t see it as any real risk.”
IT’S JUST AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK TO WHERE I’M FROM BEN BARBA