FORMER St Helens and Cronulla Sharks star Ben Barba is set to make his rugby league return in 2023 with a new club.
Barba has endured a difficult number of years following his exit from Saints at the back end of 2018 after failing to register an appearance with NRL club North Queensland Cowboys.
The former Dally M Medal and Man of Steel winner has signed for the Mossman Port-Douglas Sharks in Cairns, northern Australia.
“Just to let everyone know in 2023 I’ll be moving to Cairns to play for Mossman Sharks!,” Barba wrote on Facebook.
“Very excited and cannot wait to get there and run around with my family!”
Barba, who played 168 games in the NRL for Cronulla, Brisbane Broncos and Canterbury Bulldogs as well as 34 games for Saints in Super League.
But, it was in 2019 when Barba was released by the Cowboys without playing a game following an alleged assault before he was cleared to return to community rugby league in late 2020.
Barba turned out for the Carltons Red Devils in the Rugby League Mackay and District competition and also had a spell playing Aussie Rules with Eastern Swans.
In that competition, the 33-year-old kicked 13 goals in two games for his AFL Mackay debut in 2021 with his class showing through as Barba was brought in for the North Queensland representative side.
