Ben Barba

Ben Barba's alleged potshot at Wayne Bennett

When Wayne Bennett returned to the Brisbane Broncos in 2015, one of the first things he did was get rid of Ben Barba.

Now, according to Fairfax Media and Channel 9 reporter Danny Weidler, there's more to the story.

Weidler revealed the story he was told was Bennett informing Barba he was worth big money on his 2012 Bulldogs form when he won the Dally M medal - not what he had shown at Brisbane the previous season.

Now here's the best part, apocryphal or not.

Ben Barba's first cocaine strike fell on 2015 Mad Monday

However, a number of revelations have surfaced in recent days in relation to Barba’s past indiscretions in testing positive to cocaine. 

In fact, according to The Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield, the timing of Barba’s first positive test for cocaine in 2015 is almost unbelievable. 

Mad Monday, 2015 was Barba’s first brush with the recreational drug, with the Sharks informed a number of months later that their star fullback had received a strike for using the drug at the team’s end of season celebrations. 

Sharks duo feel for Radradra

Radradra's absence from the Parramatta club has been heavily scrutinised in recent weeks with rumour rife the Australia international may yet walk out on the club to take up a deal in French rugby. 

Barba and Fifita have had contractual troubles of their own throughout their careers and could understand where Radradra was coming from after his decision to travel back to his native Fiji. 

Barba has battled homesickness in the past – with it being the reason behind his move to the Broncos in 2014 – and couldn't blame Radradra for any decision he ends up making.

Barba eyes Sharks No.1, Maroons jerseys

However, the 26-year-old is backing himself to not only snap up the Sharks No.1 jersey but also a Queensland jumper in 2016.

Barba believes he is closer than ever to recapturing his 2012 Dally M Medal-winning form after being pitted with Valentine Holmes and Jack Bird in a fight for the Cronulla fullback spot this pre-season.

"Obviously all I have trained is at fullback, that's my best position - I won a Dally M there," Barba told AAP.

"Even though I am battling out with two young guys there, all I can do is play my best footy in the trials and see what happens."