The Bulldogs’ Ben Barba has capped off a scintillating breakout season by winning five major awards (including THE BIG ONE) at the 2012 Dally M Awards in Sydney last night. Barba polled 32 votes including 14 of a possible 18 in the final six rounds of competition to beat out Cowboys teammates Matt Bowen (26) and Johnathan Thurston (24) and Storm halfback Cooper Cronk (25), who, unfortunately for Blues fans, all happen to be Queensland representatives.
Barba also won the people’s choice Provan-Summons Medal, Fullback of the Year, the Peter Frilingos Headline Moment for turning four Storm defenders into traffic cones setting up this freakish length of the field try against the Storm in round 16 and shared Top Try-Scorer honours with Cowboy winger Ashley Graham.
“Hopefully I’m still buzzing from this night and I can take that into Friday and use it as a bit of confidence,” Barba said. “It’s going to be one hell of a game on Friday. It’s a game we’re really looking forward to. We’ve all seen what sort of games Canterbury and Manly play after the last couple we’ve played.”
While we wait to see if his form continues into the Bulldogs’ 2012 finals campaign, here’s his instructional video on how to turn professional athletes into statues. Enjoy!
Dally M Medal: Ben Barba (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
Provan-Summons Medal: Ben Barba (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
Captain: Jamie Lyon and Jason King (Manly Sea Eagles)
Fullback: Ben Barba (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
Winger: Akuila Uate (Newcastle Knights)
Centre: Josh Morris (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
Five-Eighth: Johnathan Thurston (North Queensland Cowboys)
Halfback: Cooper Cronk (Melbourne Storm)
Lock: Paul Gallen (Cronulla Sharks)
Second Row: Nate Myles (Gold Coast Titans)
Prop: Sam Kasiano (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
Hooker: Cameron Smith (Melbourne Storm)
Coach: Des Hasler (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
Rep Player: Nate Myles (Gold Coast Titans)
Rookie: Adam Reynolds (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Toyota Cup Player of Year: David Klemmer (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
Peter Frilingos Headline Moment: Ben Barba (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
Top Point Scorer: Jarrod Croker (Canberra Raiders)
Top Try-Scorer (shared): Ben Barba (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs) and Ashley Graham (North Queensland Cowboys)
Photo by Mark Kolbe for Getty Images Sport
