[Confirmed] Ben Barba signs with Cronulla

[Locky]

There are no certainties in this, but as far as credibility, I'll go with the club CEO's as opposed to the media, who speculate wildly and very often take rumour as fact. I am assuming the deal would have been backdated and Barba would be handsomely paid in 2016 though.

Remember, Barba was in a weak negotiation position, as he was moving to Qld to follow his family and essentially "reboot his life". Why would the Broncos offer that kind of money? It makes absolutely no sense!

There is also no doubt in my mind that a club like the Sharks needs to pay overs to attract any player, especially one like Barba who had just settled in Brisbane and appeared to have his life back on track.

It would certainly suprise me more that Brisbane was paying $900K than the Sharks $800K, even to the blindly Bennett faithful... but as you said, bias is in play, and it is a powerful thing!

I was simply asking a question. Not sure what the bennett faithful or unfaithful or whatever you are implying by that statement.

In any case something is a miss here and I don't think anyone will actually find out the truth

 

[Porthoz]

I was simply asking a question. Not sure what the bennett faithful or unfaithful or whatever you are implying by that statement.

In any case something is a miss here and I don't think anyone will actually find out the truth

Sorry mate, wasn't pointing fingers at you. Those implied will know who they are... :wink:

Yes, something is amiss, but I like to think about things logically, and Brisbane paying Barba close to $1M a season under the above circumstances, doesn't make any sense to me. $800K to the Sharks doesn't shock me however.

 

[Splinter]

Is it possible to make up the difference for 2016 in 2015 while we have cap space, to clear the debt or is this not allowed

 

[Locky]

Sorry mate, wasn't pointing fingers at you. Those implied will know who they are... :wink:

Yes, something is amiss, but I like to think about things logically, and Brisbane paying Barba close to $1M a season under the above circumstances, doesn't make any sense to me. $800K to the Sharks doesn't shock me however.

doenst make much sense but it's not completely shocking IMHO. To the fans I think the broncos seem like this almighty club that doesn't have to pay overs for players (that was the case many years ago) leave that to the raiders and the sharks of the worlds. However, I believe the real picture over the last few years is that we definitely became that club that has to pay overs. Look at stories the like of $BW knocking us back ''because he won't be going to a club on the decline". I really do not think we were the club some of us fan believee we were.

Add to that the fact that Gee needed a win and we had nothing happening at that time in our halves or fullback position. We needed barba as much as he needed us. Could you imagine if he signed with the titans? Gee Gee and White's heads would have been on stakes Ned Stark style at Red Hill

 

[Socnorb]

You'd think his negotiating position would be weaker now than 2013, so props to his management for stitching up an 800k deal

 

[Waynesaurus]

I reckon Barba's dollars in last year of his contract with us were to be a pretty big number, Bennett probably freaked when he saw that. Kennedy and Hannant were the same, too high of a number of dollars for what they offered. Bennett doesn't pay overs for players.

The Boyd deal for mine is seeming like a bargain if the Barba numbers are accurate. I'm now even more confident that Bennett is working to get our house back in order and any overpaid slackers at the club better watch out.

 

[Porthoz]

You'd think his negotiating position would be weaker now than 2013, so props to his management for stitching up an 800k deal

How?

He wanted to reunite with his family that had moved up north, and had still 2 years of contract left at the Bulldogs, who didn't want to let him go, and only released him under the condition he wouldn't earn more than he was earning at the Bulldogs.

We could argue that he would get back pay in 2016, but to satisfy the numbers being thrown around, he would have to be paid $2M in 2016 out of the Broncos cap, to reach a total of $2.7M, or the reported $900K a year. Surely not even Gee would be that stupid, and that's forgetting what Paul White and the board would think of such a deal severely affecting the 2016 cap.

Now, even if those reports were right, and he was close to $1M a season for the next 2 years...
After having established himself in Brisbane, albeit he has no guaranteed position in the 17 under WB, and having been granted a release, one of the perennial spoon contenders is trying to attract him back to Sydney.

Please tell me which of the above is a weaker position?

 

[Morkel]

Is it possible to make up the difference for 2016 in 2015 while we have cap space, to clear the debt or is this not allowed

I think this is kind of what they're doing. I am inclined to believe that he was only going to hit big money after 2015 (which sounds awfully like a hugely back-ended deal, but that's a different argument) as the Bulldogs were adamant that he'd have to be on the same money as his Bulldogs deal.

Now here's where I think it might be working in theory. I'm going to use totally theoretical values here to illustrate the point. Let's say his 2014 & 2015 values were $350k each, and his 2016 & 2017 values were $900k each. Let's say the Sharks deal is $800k a season. If we were to release him for 2016 onwards only, we'd be having to subsidise both years to the tune of $100k each. However, if we release him for 2015 as well, then he'll actually be being paid $450k more than his current contract for this coming season. I wonder if it's possible for them to offset that extra $450k against the later years' $200k shortfall, meaning we don't have to pay anything?

Just a theory, but it would make sense as to why they're getting rid of him now.

 

[subsbligh]

Barba for $800K a season is Chris Sandow/Corey Norman levels of overs.

Glad at least Barba got the deal he's after.

Maybe behind a Sharks squad out for redemption he'll fire. They've got an awesome forward pack that's for sure. Fifita and Gallen poppin offloads all day.

Good luck to him.

..and be it on the master coach's head if it all goes wrong.

(then again we're talking about the man who released Wally Lewis).

 

[coreyh88]

I hope if we have cap space next year that we renegotiate some contracts to front end their deals and give us space for 15.

 

[Anonymous person]

Now here's where I think it might be working in theory. I'm going to use totally theoretical values here to illustrate the point. Let's say his 2014 & 2015 values were $350k each, and his 2016 & 2017 values were $900k each.

We didn't sign him for 2017, only 2014/15/16. We know he was on <$400k a year for 2014 and 2015.

(then again we're talking about the man who released Wally Lewis).

Not just pointing fingers at you, but ive seen a few people reference this as to how Bennett doesnt play favourites - lewis was 31-32 at the time he was released. he only played rugby league for 2 more years. It was a bit different circumstances to what is happening now.

To those still saying that we didnt just take his Bulldogs contract:

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Bulldogs boss Raelene Castle claims the fact Barba will be paid the same amount by Brisbane as he would have by the Bulldogs proves the superstar's release was not financially motivated.

"No, it's genuinely family reasons," Castle said.

"They've taken the two-year contract as is across, so it's not about financial with him.

 

[mitch222]

At the end of the year Barba wasn't even fullback for the broncos so effectively Boyd replaced Hoffman at fullback and Milford replaced Barba at 5/8. So if people on here are going to blast Boyd costing Barba a spot in the team, just realise that it was Milfords arrival that displaced Barba from the team at 5/8. He has signed on at the sharks to play 5/8 so that is where his future lies not at fullback. And I for one will take Milford over Barba especially on the amount of money Barba is being paid.

 

[Morkel]

At the end of the year Barba wasn't even fullback for the broncos so effectively Boyd replaced Hoffman at fullback and Milford replaced Barba at 5/8. So if people on here are going to blast Boyd costing Barba a spot in the team, just realise that it was Milfords arrival that displaced Barba from the team at 5/8. He has signed on at the sharks to play 5/8 so that is where his future lies not at fullback. And I for one will take Milford over Barba especially on the amount of money Barba is being paid.

To be fair, my preference would have been Milford at the back & Barba at 6. So regardless of the shuffle, it's still costing Barba's spot in the team. And yes, having Boyd here is still to blame, because I also believe it was the instigator for Milford being earmarked for the 5/8 spot and that spot alone.

 

[Anonymous person]

At the end of the year Barba wasn't even fullback for the broncos so effectively Boyd replaced Hoffman at fullback and Milford replaced Barba at 5/8. So if people on here are going to blast Boyd costing Barba a spot in the team, just realise that it was Milfords arrival that displaced Barba from the team at 5/8.

Nope.

Barba was moved to 5/8th to cover Hoffman who was stinking the place up. Milford coming to play 5/8th would mean Barba goes back to FB. Boyds signing 100% pushes Barba out of the team.

 

[kingpest]

But barba was completely fucking useless at fullback...absolutely pathetic. He couldn't even get the basics right. New club, new state, new coach who gives a shit, he was stinking it up out the back just as much as hoffy stunk in the 6.

 

[Ari Gold]

We didn't sign him for 2017, only 2014/15/16. We know he was on <$400k a year for 2014 and 2015.


Not just pointing fingers at you, but ive seen a few people reference this as to how Bennett doesnt play favourites - lewis was 31-32 at the time he was released. he only played rugby league for 2 more years. It was a bit different circumstances to what is happening now.

To those still saying that we didnt just take his Bulldogs contract:

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My understanding is we took his contract but also signed him beyond that at a different rate. I was not aware how high it was though, and based on the figures being mentioned, I am actually pretty pleased that WB got rid of him (assuming these numbers are correct).

At the end of the year Barba wasn't even fullback for the broncos so effectively Boyd replaced Hoffman at fullback and Milford replaced Barba at 5/8. So if people on here are going to blast Boyd costing Barba a spot in the team, just realise that it was Milfords arrival that displaced Barba from the team at 5/8. He has signed on at the sharks to play 5/8 so that is where his future lies not at fullback. And I for one will take Milford over Barba especially on the amount of money Barba is being paid.

Wow, talk about simplistic. And technically speaking, at the end of the year, Hodges was our fullback, so Boyd is technically replacing Hodges, not Hoffman.

This, of course, is a dumb argument, Boyd is not replacing Hodges. Equally dumb though is the notion that Milford is forcing Barba out.

 

[Mosyzlak]

Nope.

Barba was moved to 5/8th to cover Hoffman who was stinking the place up. Milford coming to play 5/8th would mean Barba goes back to FB. Boyds signing 100% pushes Barba out of the team.

I think they were both doing horribly in their respective roles, not sure you can say it was only Hoffman causing the switch

 

[Anonymous person]

My understanding is we took his contract but also signed him beyond that at a different rate. I was not aware how high it was though, and based on the figures being mentioned, I am actually pretty pleased that WB got rid of him (assuming these numbers are correct).

For 2014 and 2015 he was getting not $1 more than he was signed for at the bulldogs, which was <$400k.

For 2016 they negotiated a price, but that was never revealed or even speculated on.