We have seen some big signings in Super League history at Leeds Rhinos, Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves but one of the biggest arrived at St Helens in 2017.
That was Ben Barba, the electric fullback who tore Super League apart in 2017 and 2018.
He arrived as Justin Holbrook was beginning his revolution at St Helens which nearly led the Saints to a shock Grand Final appearance until Castleford Tigers beat them in golden point extra time.
He would leave and be replaced by Lachlan Coote at the end of 2018.
The fullback was a star at the Canterbury Bulldogs and underpinned their hugely successful 2012 campaign in which they came up just short against Melbourne Storm in the Grand Final after he had been branded the Player of the Year.
However, moves to Brisbane Broncos and the Cronulla Sharks helped stifle the momentum of his career.
Things got worse when he tested for a banned substance and was immediately released by the Sharks.
This led to his move to St Helens debuting mid way through 2017 but being unable to get the Saints to Old Trafford as they lost in dramatic fashion to Castleford Tigers in the semi-finals.
In 2018, he claimed the Man of Steel award as St Helens romped to top spot with 26 league wins from 30 games but in both the Super League and Challenge Cup semi-finals Saints came up short.
After this he left and was set to join North Queensland Cowboys in 2019 but was released before playing a game due to a breach of his contract pertaining to an alleged assault which would see Barba banned from the NRL indefinitely.
Since then he has made the odd appearance on a high profile rugby league pitch and now has a new club for 2023.
The Daily Telegraph revealed last November that Barba as joined the Mossman Sharks in 2023. They play in the CDRL – the Cairns District Rugby League – and in 2022 finished top of the league but missed out on Grand Final glory.
Barba has now been selected in the Far North Queensland Rugby League rep side at the XXXX Challenge Finals this weekend against Brisbane Reds in Brisbane.
He has surprisingly been named as a scrum-half.
