Canterbury Bulldogs fullback Ben Barba named to make return against South ... - The Australian

Ben Barba will make his much-anticipated return for the Bulldogs against the Rabbitohs.

BEN Barba yesterday received the final blessing in his anticipated rugby league resurrection - forgiveness from Canterbury forward Tim Browne.

Browne spoke for the first time about his pre-season altercation with Barba, the pair involved in a flare-up during an opposed session at Belmore Sports Ground.

Ahead of Good Friday's match against Souths, Browne admitted the drama "got a little out-of-hand" but stressed the pair have made peace.

It is understood Browne challenged Barba's training attitude. The verbal altercation was the talk of the Bulldogs camp.

Barba was last night named to return in Canterbury's Good Friday match against South Sydney at ANZ Stadium.

"My name was splashed around there for the wrong reasons," Browne said yesterday. "It was one of those fitness sessions that maybe got a little out-of-hand.

Ben Barba is all smiles in his return to training with the Bulldogs. Picture: Phil Hillyard

"It was a heated pre-season opposed session, every club probably goes through it.

"Being a competitive group, it is bound to happen from time-to-time.

"After the game (training) we shook hands and had a laugh about it, that's for sure.

"Nothing personal at all. There's a very competitive nature at the club. There is no bad blood between myself and Benny. I can't wait for him to come back and to play alongside him."

Browne said he was unaware whether the incident masked Barba's private demons.

Canterbury say they have no issue over Billy Slater not being charged with his 'Karate Kid' kick.

"Personally, I didn't know," Browne said.

"It will just be excellent to have him back on board when he is ready to go.

"Just having him around, it's good to see a smile on his face. It's great to see him back around training."

Canterbury held a media session yesterday but the club shielded Barba.

"I think he is ready," Bulldogs five-eighth Josh Reynolds said yesterday.

"Talking to him, he is in a good state but it is up to Des (coach Des Hasler) and it is up to him."

"But he has come back with a real positive attitude to training and that has been good for the playing group because everyone was hoping he would be OK."

The Bulldogs have won one from three games this year but pushed premiers the Storm in last Friday's game in Melbourne.

"Even though we lost last weekend, we took a lot out of it," Browne said.

Souths are unbeaten, but are facing a short turnaround this week having played the Panthers in stiflingly hot conditions on Sunday.

Rabbitohs prop Sam Burgess expects a big challenge from the minor premiers.

"They've been fighting hard," he said.

"I know they're not at their full strength team but they're fighting hard and putting in some good performances.

"We've got a big task as a forward pack and as a team in general."

Burgess and captain Michael Crocker said stopping points - rather than scoring them - was priority at training this week after Sunday's tryfest at Penrith.

"We've got to work on our defence," Burgess said. "We leaked a lot of points, which is not good enough. It especially won't be good enough ... against the Bulldogs."

BULLDOGS: Ben Barba, Mitch Brown, Josh Morris, Krisnan Inu, Sam Perrett, Josh Reynolds, Kris Keating, Aiden Tolman, Michael Ennis (c), Martin Taupau, Tony Williams, Josh Jackson, Greg Eastwood. Interchange: Dene Halatau, Dale Finucane, David Klemmer, Frank Pritchard, Tim Browne, Drury Low.