Weeks after hanging up the boots on his rugby league playing career, Ben Barba has secured a head coaching role for the upcoming 2026 season.
Last playing in the NRL in 2016, Barba has announced that he has signed on to be the new head coach of the South Sharks, who compete in the NQBE A Grade Men's competition.
Established in 1945, the Sharks are coming off premiership success in 2025, when they defeated Mackay Brothers in the Grand Final, and boast a strong roster with the likes of Marmin Barba, Sam Kasiano and Mahe Fonua.
"I'm sure a few people already know but I have taken up the role as South Sharks RL Mackay A Grade coach for 2026," Barba confirmed.
"Something I'm absolutely looking forward to but nervous at the same time but with the help of the great people at the club I'm looking to make 2026 just as successful as this year."
Before hanging up the boots on his playing career, Barba was a one-time premiership winner with the Cronulla Sharks, won the 2012 Dally M Medal and is fondly remembered for his time with the Canterbury Bulldogs, where he was one of the best players in the competition.
Barba also had a stint with the Brisbane Broncos in 2014 and was in the North Queensland Cowboys squad in 2019, but failed to register a match for them before being cut.
A six-time Indigenous All Stars representative, he also won the Man of Steel Award in 2018 for St Helens RLFC - the Super League equivalent to the Dally M Medal - and had a brief stint in rugby union for Toulon.
