Don't be fooled by an unfazed Ben Barba.
Good friend Justin Hodges has revealed the ex-Dally M Medallist reads every tweet, story and blog about his sorry NRL form decline.
However, Broncos skipper Hodges reckons it is just a matter of time before Barba makes headlines for all the right reasons - he just hopes it isn't against Brisbane at Cronulla on Friday night.
Barba it seems has been forever chasing the form that captured his well deserved 2012 Dally M Medal - a pursuit that looks no closer to being completed judging by his underwhelming Cronulla debut last round.
Barba put in an error-riddled display at five-eighth in the Sharks' 24-20 first-round home loss to Canberra on Sunday night.
And the spotlight will only intensify on Barba ahead of Friday night's clash against the club that unceremoniously let him go last year.
Hodges admitted the headlines bagging his mate hurt because he knew the former star Bulldogs fullback would be trawling through each and every one of them despite his stoic public image.
"It's hard when people are riding him," Hodges said.
"He is a player who listens to everyone's opinion.
"We tried to get him off social media and everything just to concentrate on football (last season).
"It would be good to see him happy on the field again - hopefully not this week."
One of the great NRL hecklers, Hodges admitted even he wasn't tempted to send a cheeky pre-match text or call to Barba.
"I won't talk to him too much. I don't want to stir him up so that he has a blinder," Hodges laughed.
"He's a confidence player, that's what we tried to give him here.
"But he's a quality player and one of the best in the game.
"He is only a try away from getting back to form."
Hodges admitted Barba was "shot for confidence" but hoped critics would not write off the classy pivot too early.
"People are probably asking too much too early," he said.
"It will take him a while to fit in but when he does he will be the Ben Barba of old."
Share
