Ben Barba has agreed to leave the Brisbane Broncos to join the Cronulla Sharks on a lucrative three-year deal.
Barba will make roughly $800,000 a season over the next three years after reaching a buyout with Brisbane for the final two years of his contract.
The arrival of coach Wayne Bennett and the recruitment of Darius Boyd contributed to the 2012 Dally M medal winner’s departure from Brisbane following a disappointing debut season with the Broncos.
“I realise I am a professional sportsman and must go where the work is to support and provide for my young family,” Barba said Tuesday.
“And although it is unfortunate I have had to leave the Brisbane Broncos after just one year, I am grateful to Shane and the Sharks board for providing me with this opportunity to join their club.
“I believe the Sharks have a quality squad and I look forward to playing alongside captain Paul Gallen and former Bulldogs team-mate Mick Ennis.”
The 25-year-old will be looking to regain the form seen during his five-year stint with the Canterbury Bulldogs between 2008 and 2013 after rough stretches at full-back and five-eighth over 25 games last season.
“I’m sure Sharks fans will be really excited about watching Benny play,” coach Shane Flanagan said in a statement.
“He has flair, x-factor and try scoring ability, but it’s not just about the tries he scores, it’s the tries he creates and the opportunities he provides for others.
“Our attack is an area we need to improve, I’ve focused a lot of my recruitment around that and Benny fits perfectly into the team I’m trying to build.”
Barba, who has produced 80 tries in 122 NRL games, is expected to join Cronulla training in the next week.
Photo: Mark Nolan/Getty Images, Cronulla Sharks.
