In the build up to his debut, Ben Barba is taking fans behind the scenes as he prepares for his bow.
MY main job at the moment is to take in everything around me as well as getting to know all the boys.
I try to write stuff down and make sure nothing goes in one ear and out of the other. I’ve been in the gym and training although I like to watch and learn from the knowledge of the other players.
It’s a process but I am slowly building up my mental and physical ability ready to play again.
I did a training session this week that saw me hit a top speed of 29km/h and cover close to 4km in a short period of time.
I’m also gradually building up my high speed running metres hitting 350m at 18km/h plus in our last skill session.
It was tough but I really enjoyed it.
EVERYONE here has been so welcoming both at the club and when I’m out in St Helens. It’s been a big move and me and my family are just adjusting, trying to find places we like to eat, where to go shopping and things like that but we’re settling in.
My girls aren’t as big a fan of rugby as me but they do like playing soccer sometimes and when it’s nice weather we go outside and have a run around.
The climate’s a little different over here so when it’s not cloudy or raining we like to get outside and run some of their energy out rather than staying in!
Obviously rugby is everything to me at the moment but I do like to wind down after training. I like watching TV shows – the kind that get you thinking like crime dramas or sometimes one of my favourite movies.
I’ve recently bought my kids an Xbox so they’re liking that at the moment too.
PEOPLE ask how I started in rugby… I grew up in Queensland Australia where everyone is Rugby League mad.
I started when I was around four or five-years-old which is probably around two years early, as most kids usually start at around age seven but I had a family member who was a coach and then I’ve played ever since.
I’ve always loved the sport and was lucky enough to be good at it. I love rugby league, I love the game and I’m thankful that it is able to be such a huge part of my life.
I love my family, I love my partner and my kids but I love rugby league as well.
FINALLY, I took part in a photoshoot for the club recently; there were five of us and we had to do various poses for our snapper Bernard Platt. Here’s an outtake!
