BEN Barba has become Saints' most audacious signing since they lifted Jamie Lyon from Wee Waa Panthers in 2005.

The club have taken advantage of the new additional marquee exemption provision to the salary cap rules by signing the Australian full back or stand off on a two-and-a-half year deal.

Dubbed X-Factor, Saints will be looking to the dazzling Barba to be a calling card signing to show they mean business.

He is also an enormous talent who helped Cronulla win the Premiership in his final season there in 2016.

He won't, however, be able to play immediately as he is serving a 12-match ban for testing positive for cocaine in November.

The club are examining that ban and seeking further clarification.

Saints beat off competition from neighbours Warrington to secure the services of the 27-year-old.

He won the NRL Dally M award in 2012, a Grand Final with Sharks in 2016 and this year has been with French Rugby Union side Toulon.

The French club have released him, allowing Saints to step in.

Saints Head Coach Justin Holbrook said: “I’ve known Ben for some time and am confident that he will add a new dimension to the Saints and is a great capture for Super League.

"He is a multi-talented and world class rugby league player.

“Everyone in the team will benefit from him joining us and are really looking forward to his arrival. The fans also have a lot to look forward to.

“Given Ben’s abilities and reputation, his signing was extremely competitive and the Club have done exceptionally well to secure him.

“It is not often that players of his calibre become available and the Club has pulled out all the stops to fight off competition from both rugby codes around the world.

“I am also grateful for their support to me for my first signing as the new Head Coach.”

 Barba said: “I feel very privileged to be joining such a historic rugby league club as St.Helens.

"I was able to meet up with some of the players and key people from the Club at the Magic Weekend and know they are a great set of people.

"The fans also showed me just how passionate they are.

“I wanted to make an early decision so that I can get my family settled in England and kids enrolled at school.

"I have certainly enjoyed my time in France at Toulon, but I am a rugby league player and St.Helens, especially with Justin Holbrook as head coach, have made me very comfortable with the decision.

“I look forward to pulling the Saints’ jersey on and playing besides my new teammates as soon as possible.”

Barba is currently the subject of a 12-match ban in the NRL.

The initial stance of the RFL is that this also applies to Super League. However, St.Helens will be seeking further and final clarification of this position.

Barba played 168 games, scoring 99 tries, in the NRL.

He started his career at the North Devils, Mackay, in Queensland before signing with the Canterbury Bulldogs in 2007.

He made his representative debut for the Indigenous All Stars in the 2011 All Stars Match – his first of five appearances – and moved to Brisbane on 2014, scoring eight tries in 25 games Barba then joined Cronulla and 2016 won the Grand Final after an outstanding season.

Ben Barba's manager, Chris Orr from PSM, said: “This is the perfect fit for Ben to reconnect to his rugby league roots. He has had a long affiliation with Justin Holbrook the new St Helens coach from their days at the Bulldogs.

“The Magic Weekend gave Ben the opportunity to experience the passionate fans of Super League and he loved it and wanted to be part of it immediately.”