Barba plans final fling for Saints
BEN BARBA is desperate to repay St Helens with a Grand Final win heading into tonight’s play-off semi-final showdown at home to Warrington.
After months of speculation, it was confirmed last week that Barba will jump ship and join the North Queensland Cowboys at the end of the season because of homesickness.
The Australian full-back, who has been shortlisted for the Man of Steel award, was contracted to Saints until the end of 2019 but the club have agreed to sell him for a six-figure sum.
But before he departs, Barba, 29, is aiming to fire Justin Holbrook’s side to the Super League title at Old Trafford on Saturday week.
Should Saints prevail this evening, they will face Wigan or Castleford in the Grand Final and Barba said: “It would mean everything to me to see us crowned Super League champions.
“That’s the dream and there would be no better way to pay back a club who have done so much for me.
“The way I have been looked after during my time at St Helens has been wonderful. What has helped me so much is how well my partner and four daughters have been cared for by the club as well.
“But it’s coming to an end and I would have been lying to myself trying to stay here. It would have shown in my footy if I was unhappy.
“At the end of the day, I miss home, I miss being around my mum and dad and seeing my immediate family all the time, so it’s the right decision for myself.
“It’s obviously a sad one because I’ve made so many good friends over here and enjoyed my time in the Super League.
“St Helens are going to be a special part of my life that I will always remember. The best legacy I could leave is by helping us to get to Old Trafford and then winning it.” If Barba did that, he would sign off in a similar style to compatriots Mal Meninga and Jamie Lyon, who won the Premiership and Grand Final respectively in their last games.
“To even be talked about in the same breath as those guys is an unreal honour,” said Barba, who joined Saints midway through last season after he was sacked by Cronulla Sharks for testing positive for cocaine.
“That is something that has been a bit of a driver for me but I don’t want to get too ahead of myself because we have got to get past Warrington first to get to Old Trafford.”
Warrington captain Chris Hill says his side’s agonising Wembley defeat will provide extra motivation in their bid to reach the Grand Final.
The Wolves were favourites going into the Challenge Cup final in August but were turned over by Catalans Dragons – and Hill says the loss still hurts.
“A defeat like that gives you an extra bit of motivation,” said Hill. “It was massively disappointing and it has been eating away at us.” This time Hill’s men are the underdogs, having finished 15 points behind their near neighbours in the league and losing in all three meetings with them so far this year, most recently only a fortnight ago.
“St Helens should be favourites, as they have romped the league,” said Hill. “But we will be ready and concentrating on ourselves.”
Castleford have been dealt a major blow after rookie playmaker Jake Trueman was ruled out of tomorrow’s play-off semi-final at Wigan.
The 19-year-old broke a hand against St Helens last Friday and will also miss the England Knights endof-season tour of Papua New Guinea.
JACKSON HASTINGS has signed a new contract to stay at Salford after helping them stay in the top flight.
There’d be no better way to pay back the club