Barba: a tale of lost perspective

Fall from grace ... Barba's demise serves as a reminder of the pressures on NRL stars. Source: News Limited

Sometime before Christmas he was at the beach, enjoying his first off-season as the Dally M Medal winner. It turns out we didn't know how much he was enjoying it, and so nobody could see how hollow he was inside.

He was being interviewed for a start on NRL Profiles on Fox Sports and, with that slight stutter of his, which we all took for country shy, Ben Barba talked about football, and the pressures involved, and the way he got himself right each day.

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It is disturbing how differently we now hear his answer, knowing what we now do. Through the filter of an alcohol and gambling problem and an ongoing stint in rehab, Barba's fall from the NRL's greatest fairytale is complete.

It was a no-brainer that his hospitalisation has forced the NRL Profiles piece to be scrapped, although clips will now be shown on Fox Sports tonight, on NRL 360.

"If I can wake up happy and be happy then," he says at one point, "then I know I'm probably going to be pretty relaxed all day.

"So I guess it starts really from the morning for myself, and getting up and not being too stressful. And then it just plays out during the day and I take it into the game. It's helped me out so much this year, getting my head right."

The way he played, the way the smile came so easily, we all thought Ben Barba didn't have a care in his world.

He was the fairytale. The Little Train That Could.

A country kid from far North Queensland, everybody considered too small. But he was lightning quick.

He got homesick. So his girlfriend came down and soon they had two young daughters to set up family.

He was given up on, considered unteachable under the high ball. But new coach Des Hasler believed, and Barba rewarded him with one of the great seasons anybody ever put together.

It took not even three months later for it to end in tears. By then Barba had left his partner, taken up with a new girlfriend and got himself fully accredited, by way of a stomach tattoo, with some blow-hards calling themselves the Epic Bender Crew, as if they had invented the big night out.

Barba is every chance to miss this entire season, not so much for the gambling and drinking but for what chief executive Todd Greenberg said was behaviour anybody would look "dimly" upon.

Barba's fall highlights the pressure on NRL players, and whether the duty of care could be more thoughtfully addressed at clubs.

The same week he went into rehab a young man tore his pectoral muscle in a training accident and went home and killed himself.

Mosese Fotuaika was 21. His girlfriend was newly pregnant and injury looked like it was about to rule him out for the season. Fotuaika knew the contract option was in the Tigers' favour and it caused him considerable stress knowing he was now likely going to miss that chance and he came up with a solution that was as wrong as it was permanent.

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Given Barba put so much emphasis on "getting his head right" why was he allowed to stray to such a point that he got lost among this lot?

Ask anybody, waking up "happy" through the haze of a six-bell hangover is hard to do. Barba had clearly lost his way. And so players need help.

Digital media now makes the news cycle breathe 24/7. Social media means everybody can publish, and usually does.

There is no longer an off-season. The intensity never fades. Players have no right to complain because these are all the reasons behind their new television deal almost doubling from $580 million to $1 billion.

To protect them, the instinct of clubs is to circle the wagons.

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And it might well be the worst choice they can make.

Through what they believe is necessity, it makes club life their entire life, without realising that protecting players from the real world leaves them acutely vulnerable to real world pressures - because they have no real world perspective.

What man with two young daughters has the time to go on epic benders each weekend, excusing it as enjoying much needed time off?

Indeed, what man with two young daughters has time for anything outside of the kids and work? Not a responsible one. Circling the wagons worked when clubs were only part of the player's life, because he had work and, more often than now, a family to tend to.

It created perspective, and that's what's lost today.

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See Paul Kent with Ben Ikin on the premiere of NRL 360, 7.30pm (EDT) on Wednesday night on Fox Sports 1 and 1HD.

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'Seven players' futures in doubt'

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Under pressure ... Phil Hughes and Shane Watson will be feeling the heat in India. Source: William West / AAP

No less than seven players in Australia's current XI will have their Test futures heavily scrutinised over the coming week, veteran News Limited cricket writer Robert Craddock says.

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The entire Australia team has already come in for heavy criticism after their capitulation against India in the second Test in Hyderabad, with skipper Michael Clarke just about the only player exempt.

Craddock, who admits he's not sure how much the selectors can do to turn the side's fortunes around in time for the third Test, says there are seven players in particular who will be feeling the heat.

"I could name … seven players whose Test futures are really under the pump," Craddock said.

"David Warner's safe but he struggles against spin, Ed Cowan is dogged but he lacks shots.

"Phillip Hughes just cannot play spin, Shane Watson's been such a huge disappointment again, only two Test centuries.

"Moises Henriques - well he's only ever scored one first-class century, (so) is he a Test all-rounder, I don't know.

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Join us @FoxCricketLive from 12pm (EDT) Wednesday as we dissect Australia's disastrous defeat in Hyderabad and debate what needs to be done to turn the side's fortunes around.

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"Then of course there's our two spinners, Xavier Doherty and young Glenn Maxwell - well, goodness me, if they're Test spinners we are in desperate shape."

Craddock's main concern, however, is to do with the men who aren't in the current lineup.

"The other problem is the troops outside the team are not that good."

Fox Sports cricket expert Allan Border, who is commentating on the matches in India, suggests selectors are no closer to knowing who the best 11 players in the country are.

"It's difficult because they're just not used to playing in these conditions," Border said.

"They're probably not sure what their best XI might and should be. They might shuffle them a little bit, and we'll see Usman Khawaja or Steven Smith come into contention for a batting place.

"I think a couple of batsmen are definitely feeling the pinch, Phil Hughes in particular looks really as though he's struggling a lot."

Fellow former Test batsman VVS Laxman, also working as a commentator in India, suggested a batting reshuffle should be in order for the Aussies.

"Have Ed Cowan bat at No.3, and Shane Watson and Warner up the order, and Michael Clarke at No.4," Laxman said.

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Fox Sports' winter wonderland

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Winter wonderland ... Fox Sports is the only place to be for the best sport in 2013 Source: Justin Lloyd / News Limited

Australia's leading sports broadcaster Fox Sports has unveiled a fresh new look ahead of the most exciting winter sports season it has ever embarked upon.

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The company's new headquarters on Sydney's north shore hosted politicians, industry executives, a raft of past and present Australian sports stars and members of the media to launch a new era.

Attending the launch was News Ltd CEO Kim Williams, NRL stars Todd Carney, Braith Anasta, Krisnan Inu and Tim Mannah, Leisel Jones, the Fox Sports NRL team including Peter Sterling, Matthew Johns, Matt Shirvington and Gorden Tallis and Fox Sports personalities Mark Bosnich, Phil Kearns and Tony Squires.

The launch and new brand reveal comes ahead of the broadcaster's biggest winter sports offering in history; including a seven-day NRL schedule, FOX FOOTY's live coverage of every match in the AFL Premiership , the A-League Finals Series and Socceroos' World Cup Qualifiers, plus the two biggest sporting events of the year - the British and Irish Lions Tour and The Ashes.

"On top of that, we now have 21 weekly entertainment shows across our sports, which is where we'll fuel the excitement of fans ahead of the weekend action," Fox Sports CEO Patrick Delany said.

"It's a phenomenal winter of live sport, our biggest ever."

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Fox Footy is the only place to see every game of the 2013 AFL regular season live in high definition and uninterrupted siren-to-siren.

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Fox Sports will bring fans closer to their game in 2013, with High Definition coverage, stunning new 'virtual' presentations and game-changing camera angles from FoxKopter, the FoxMobile segway, Ref Cam and Cornerpost Cam across different sports.

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"We're going to take fans to where they've never been with all of our exclusive in-play innovations. This is the year where fans come first," Delany said.

To mark the kick off to the winter sports season, Fox Sports revealed the name of the main studio at its new Sydney headquarters at a special ceremony.

The studio, which will house NRL coverage, has been named after Rugby League 'Immortal', Clive Churchill.

Head of  Channels, Gary Burns, was joined by the late Churchill's wife, Joyce, and son, Rodney, to unveil the Studio in front of South Sydney greats George Piggins, Bob McCarthy, Michael Cleary and Ron Coote.

Fox Sports Australia has also launched a new corporate logo in line with its global affiliate broadcasters.

"We're an established global brand stretching from USA, through Asia and into Australia. The brand thinks globally but acts locally," Delany said.

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Australia's second Test report card

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Shattered ... how will Australia recover from the second Test loss? Source: James Elsby / AAP

After one of Australia's heaviest defeats in recent memory, we present player-by-player ratings for the innings and 135-run defeat in the second Test against India.

David Warner
Rating: 3 out of 10
He may not have had tummy trouble this time around, but David Warner is still having a tough time of it over in India. Clean bowled by Kumar in the first innings and bowled around his legs by Ashwin in the second, he seems stuck between playing his naturally aggressive game and trying to occupy the crease.

Ed Cowan
Rating: 5 out of 10
Cowan was out to a contentious lbw decision in the first innings and showed his fighting qualities with a gritty 44 in the second, off 150 balls – a third of Australia's runs in that innings. That should have silenced some critics, although others will still be calling for him to take advantage of his good starts.

Phillip Hughes
Rating: 2 out of 10
Hughes continues to look completely out of his depth against India's quality spinners. The stat doing the rounds during this Test was that his last 39 balls against spin have yielded no runs and four wickets. Selectors face a tough decision on whether or not to drop him and bring Usman Khawaja into the side, or keep him in there in the hope of building his confidence in the lead-up to the Ashes.

Shane Watson
Rating: 3 out of 10
Watson's continued ability to look in fine touch before getting out cheaply must surely be starting to bug the all-rounder-turned-batsman. He looked to be in a dominant mood before falling to an ugly-looking pull shot for 23 on day one, and was out to a soft dismissal down the leg side in the second. Depending on where Clarke decides to move, Watson may go up one spot in the batting order.

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Join us @FoxCricketLive from 12pm (EDT) Wednesday as we dissect Australia's disastrous defeat in Hyderabad and debate what needs to be done to turn the side's fortunes around.

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Michael Clarke
Rating: 7 out of 10
Australia's shining light once again was their captain, although for once he fell short of a milestone when he was dismissed for 91 in the first innings. If his post-match comments are anything to go by, Clarke looks certain to move up the order, but it remains to be seen how much of a difference this will make. 

Matthew Wade
Rating: 6 out of 10
Wade was much improved from his performance in the first Test, and his efforts were all the more impressive given he had a fractured cheekbone. His fighting knock of 62 in the first dig prevented Australia from having the type of collapse that came in the second innings, while he looks to be getting more accustomed to the different method of wicketkeeping required on the sub-continent.

Moises Henriques
Rating: 2 out of 10
Moises Henriques got a dose of reality in his second Test outing, crashing back to earth with scores of five and zero, and picking up bowling figures of 0-45 off 21 overs. He'll need to rid himself of the inconsistency that has plagued his domestic career if he's to make it as a permanent Test fixture.

Glenn Maxwell
Rating: 5 out of 10
Probably Australia's most controversial selection in recent years, Glenn Maxwell went a way to justifying his baggy green call-up with four wickets, although plenty of damage had been done by then. He did extract a fair amount of turn and bounce on day three, but his ineffectiveness on day two would have been worrying. His performances with the willow wouldn't have done much to convince experts he's up to being a top seven Test batsman.

Peter Siddle
Rating: 3 out of 10
Siddle was once again economical, but continued to lack penetration without the assistance he usually receives in Australia. Deserves credit for picking up the tourists' only wicket on day two, but apart from that it was another barren spell for the lion-hearted Victorian.

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Watch the third Test between India and Australia, LIVE, EXCLUSIVE and in HD from 2.50pm (EDT) Thursday 14 March on Fox Sports 2HD.

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James Pattinson
Rating: 6 out of 10
Pattinson continued to mix up his bowling lengths and was once again rewarded with wickets, although he could only manage two of them this time around. He claimed the key scalps of Cheteshwar Pujara - admittedly after the Indian had already made 204 – and Sachin Tendulkar, and his 29 overs would have pleased those who thought he wasn't bowled enough in the first Test.

Xavier Doherty
Rating: 3 out of 10
The stats show Xavier Doherty picked up three wickets on his Test comeback and brought his bowling average down to 72, but those stats need to be taken with a grain of salt. His three victims were tail-enders, and the lack of turn he was able to extract from a spin-friendly deck will worry the selectors that showed so much faith in him.

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Buzz's top 50 NRL players

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Top 25 ... where do Smith, Hayne and Burgess slot in?

Phil Rothfield tackles one of the most difficult tasks in rugby league, naming his top 50 players in the game.

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In a two part series, over two days, Rothfield has picked over the roster of every NRL club before settling on the 50 players who top the pile.

We kicked off the countdown with 50-26 on Tuesday, and today we reveal Buzz's top 25 players in the game.

25. James Graham (Bulldogs)
The biting aside, this guy can play the game. The English international had a great debut season, becoming one of the best interchange players in the competition.

24. Glenn Stewart (Sea Eagles)
A vital part of Manly's right side attack, Stewart finished the 2012 season with 12 linebreak assists, the equal second most of any back-rower in the competition Also averaged 32.2 tackles per game.

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Re-live the players who make up 50-26 on Buzz Rothfield's countdown here.

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23. Jeremy Smith (Knights)
In the absence Paul Gallen, Smith showed his leadership abilities last season leading the Sharks to a finals appearance. In 2012 he averaged the most tackles for the Sharks with 29.5 per game.

22. Josh Dugan (Raiders)
The Raiders fullback will be desperate to win back his Origin jersey after injuries again disrupted his 2012 season. Despite these set-backs he averaged more metres than any Raiders player.

21. Kieran Foran (Sea Eagles)
The Kiwi international is still just 22 age and has already played 79 NRL matches and eight Tests. Finished the 2012 NRL season with 12 try assists and 12 linebreak assists.

20. Sam Thaiday (Broncos)
Took on the extra responsibility of the captaincy in 2012 and he had another solid season, averaging 11.1 runs and 34.9 tackles per game.

19. Anthony Watmough (Sea Eagles)
Played all 27 matches for Manly in 2012 and was just one of two Manly forwards to average over 100 metres per game. Averaged 31 tackles per game.

18. Greg Bird (Titans)
Tough back-rower who averaged more metres than any other Gold Coast player, making 130 per game in addition to his five linebreaks and five linebreak assists.

17. Nate Myles (Titans)
The Representative Player of the year in 2012 and also had a great season at club level in his first season with the Titans. He averaged more tackles in 35.5 per game and runs, 15.4 per game.

16. Todd Carney (Sharks)
Overcame off-field distractions to prove his worth on the field last year, creating more tries and linebreaks than any other Sharks player over the season.

15. Matt Scott (Cowboys)
Tamou's fellow prop at the Cowboys also had a great 2012, once again cementing himself as one of the best forwards in the game. He averaged 53 minutes, 15.3 runs and 147 metres per game.

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14. James Tamou (Cowboys)
Had a breakout 2012 season, forcing his was into the NSW Origin and Australian teams. He averaged more runs and metres than any other prop, with 16.4 runs and 159 metres per game.

13. Sam Burgess (Rabbitohs)
Had arguably his best season in the NRL in 2012, averaging the most runs and metres of any Rabbitoh forward, with 15.7 runs and 133 metres per game.

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12. Jamie Lyon (Sea Eagles)
Again proved to be the key man in the Manly backline in 2012, finishing the season with 11 tries, 12 try assists and 10 linebreak assists.

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11. Benji Marshall (Tigers)
Not as highly ranked as previous years but still a great player. Despite his team struggling, Benji led the league in both try assists and linebreak assists with 37 in each category.

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10. Robbie Farah (Tigers)
The Tigers captain dealt with personal struggles in 2012 but cemented his place as NSWs hooker as he made an Origin record 63 tackles in Game 2.

9. Paul Gallen (Sharks)
The Sharks captain continued his incredible work rate in 2012, averaging the most runs with 22.4 per game and the most metres in the competition for the third consecutive season.

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8. Jarryd Hayne (Eels)
Although the Eels had a disappointing season, Hayne was again the saving grace. In just 12 matches, Hayne led the Eels in try assists with 14 and linebreak assists with 14.

7. Sonny Bill Williams (Roosters)
Sonny Bill Williams will make one of the most anticipated returns in the game's history after walking out on the Bulldogs in 2008. An absolute champion on his day.

6. Cooper Cronk (Storm)
The Storm halfback had a superb 2012 capping it off by winning the Clive Churchill Medal in the decider. In 2012 he led the league with five 40/20s, 29 forced drop-outs and 38 try assists.

5. Ben Barba (Bulldogs)
His recent problems aside, Barba capped off an incredible 2012 with a grand final appearance and by winning the Dally M Medal. His 22 tries were the most in the NRL. A freakish talent.

4. Greg Inglis (Rabbitohs)
After starting 2012 in the centres, Inglis moved to fullback in round 3 and had arguably the best season of his career. He busted 168 tackles, the most of any player in the competition.

3. Billy Slater (Storm)
Showed how vital he is to the Storm when they lost five of six matches he missed in 2012 with injury problems. Slater finished 2012 with 16 tries, 24 linebreaks, and 20 try assists.

2. Johnathan Thurston (Cowboys)
Proved once again in 2012 why he is regarded as a future immortal. His 35 linebreak assists were the second most in the NRL and he also finished the season with 23 try assists.

1. Cameron Smith (Storm)
Captained Storm, Queensland and the Kangaroos to victories in an unforgettable 2012. His 12 try assists were the most by any hooker and his 977 tackles were the most by any Storm player.

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Do you agree with Buzz Rothfield's assessment of Cameron Smith as the No.1 player in the NRL? Have your say.

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Japan Inc ready to back Tokyo Olympics

JAPAN'S corporate giants are ready to chip in for another Olympics in Tokyo in the hope the Games will provide the same economic boost as the 1964 edition, Toyota's chairman says.

Despite years of deflation that has forced big Japanese companies to reduce sports sponsorships including the ending of Panasonic's deal with golf star Ryo Ishikawa, Fujio Cho said Japan Inc would bring plenty to the table.

"If Tokyo gets the 2020 Olympics, I believe businesses will become sponsors and support them," the Toyota chairman said after meeting a team from the International Olympic Committee who are evaluating Tokyo's bid.

"The Japanese economy soared very quickly after 1964," Cho, 76, told reporters on Tuesday.

"I don't think it will do quite the same again but I have no doubt it will provide a boost."

The Toyota boss was among business leaders who briefed the 14-member inspection team on finance and marketing, two of the 14 themes the three candidate cities outlined in reports to the IOC last month.

After four days in Tokyo, the team will visit Madrid and Istanbul later this month before drawing up a technical report on the bids for the 101 IOC members who will vote to choose the 2020 host on September 7.

Financial health is also a strong point in Istanbul's bid as Turkey has enjoyed years of high economic growth. But Madrid is struggling as Spain battles a recession and high unemployment while slashing spending.

Officials said public support for Tokyo's bid had soared to 70 per cent from 47 per cent, citing IOC surveys.

"I am very pleased to hear this figure," JOC president Tsunekazu Takeda told reporters. "We should not be content with 70 per cent. We will make efforts to muster more support from as many people as possible."

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