A Super League return for Ben Barba appears to have been shelved.
League Express revealed last week that Barba had been offered to several clubs as he plotted a potential return to the competition in which he was crowned the best player in 2018.
A number of clubs are thought to have considered a move for the former Man Of Steel. However, a move will not be possible as a result of visa eligibility issues.
To obtain a visa to play in the UK, a player must have played at least 50 per cent of the games they’ve been eligible to play in the NRL for the past two seasons. Barba has not played a single game.
Though there is a dispensation if a player is set to receive over £100,000, they must still have played 20 per cent of games, a figure Barba again doesn’t reach.
There are various other dispensations, such as international appearances, but Barba does not meet any of those.
There is also the proposition of Super League denying his registration due to his off-field misdemeanours. The NRL said they would block any contract lodged on his behalf, though they never had to enforce it. Super League are likely to follow suit.
As a result, a return of Barba seems a distant reality.
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