Tuesday 22 August 2017 18:32, UK
St Helens' marquee signing Ben Barba says he is ready to jostle with England international Jonny Lomax for the Saints full-back shirt.
Barba will make his eagerly-anticipated Super League debut in the crucial derby with Wigan on Friday week, live on Sky Sports, after serving a 12-match ban for cocaine use and has already been informed of his role by coach Justin Holbrook.
"I'm not too sure if he's given it away yet so I don't think I can," Barba said.
"Wherever he puts me, I'll hopefully do a job for the team."
Although Barba started out his career as a stand-off with Canterbury Bulldogs in 2008, his career took off following a switch to full-back and he won the Dally M Award as the NRL player of the year after helping his club reach the 2012 Grand Final.
"That's where I've had all my success in the past," he said.
"Jonny Lomax has obviously played for his country and done a job here for quite a long time. I'm sure if I'm there or he's there, we'll work pretty well together.
"It's a good headache for the coach to have. It only makes the guys work a bit harder. We're pushing each other each week to try and get better."
Barba, who turned down Warrington after being released early from his contract with French rugby union club Toulon, was forced to sit out the first seven matches for his new club after they failed in a bid to overturn the suspension imposed by the NRL and admits he has had time for a period of reflection.
"I've had a lot of down time, a lot of thinking about the mistakes I've made," he said. "You play it through your head what might have been if things hadn't have happened.
"But I've got four little girls that keep me on my toes, it's my family that have probably kept me sane this last 10 months.
"The last few weeks have been tough but I've been working pretty hard on the field to get myself ready.
"After going to union, I lost a bit of fitness."
