Most people spend years battling personal demons and trying to overcome their problems.

But it seems the sporting arena can roll the dice, come up with a number and deliver quick-fix cures some spend a lifetime trying to find.

Ben Barba returned to rugby league on Friday to play for the Canterbury Bulldogs against the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

It was his first match since he spectacularly stepped out of the NRL spotlight on the eve of the season to deal with personal problems - including gambling issues.

The Bulldogs say Barba's return is part of a strict 12-month rehabilitation program.

It would be naive to think Barba's comeback means he has fully recovered.

If he has found the answers to his off-field demons in less than a month, he needs to share his secrets with the rest of the world.

But the biggest fear has to be that running back on to the field is a Band-Aid solution for his problems.

A month ago I spoke to Clyde Rathbone about the pressure professional athletes face and the best way to deal with the increased scrutiny.

He believes the key is preventing the problems, not treating the symptoms.

When we arrived back in Australia on Monday night after the ACT Brumbies' tour of South Africa, we were both shocked to hear that not only was Barba returning but Blake Ferguson was on a six-week booze ban at the Canberra Raiders to prove his commitment to the team.

Yes, the sporting field can be an escape.

It can be the one place athletes feel like they're in control of everything, the place they feel comfortable because they know what they have to do.

But a short-term solution doesn't result in a long-term cure.

That's why Ferguson's six-week booze ban left me baffled.

I don't know what was said behind closed doors and I'm not privy to the conversation the supremely talented back had with the Canberra leadership group.

But given Ferguson has had more than one alcohol-related incident, surely jumping on the wagon and staying away from booze for the rest of the season was a simple solution.

Accepting a six-week drinking ban and missing just one game hardly seems like a harsh punishment for Ferguson's ''last chance'' to fly straight.

Maybe when it ends in May, he'll decide his life and career has benefited from focusing on footy and not being distracted by the drink.

But there's a chance he'll simply fall into old and bad habits.

It's always hard to take hard stances against star players.

That's why the Raiders' decision to sack Josh Dugan should be applauded.

Fans want to see the best players on the field and so do the clubs.

But player welfare should take priority.

It doesn't take three weeks to get over a gambling addiction. Staying off alcohol for six weeks doesn't prove you'll be a saint in the future.

There needs to be a long-term plan to ensure players don't get stuck in their escape on the field and then fall apart when the season ends or their careers come to a halt.

Of course, it doesn't always work. Todd Carney was sent into NRL exile for 12 months and while he returned somewhat reformed, he has still had his off-field issues.

The next interesting case will be Wallabies playmaker Kurtley Beale.

He was sent home from the Melbourne Rebels' tour of South Africa after fighting with teammates Gareth Delve and Cooper Vuna after a boozy night out.

But that's not the interesting part.

On Thursday the ARU and the Rebels released statements saying Beale was being stood down indefinitely to deal with alcohol problems. Bizarrely, Beale then released his own statement saying he didn't believe he had a booze problem.

Beale's another one who has been in trouble in the past. Alcohol's usually the common denominator.

The ARU is supposedly fed up with his antics and is set to tighten the leash if he wants to continue to play for the Wallabies.

Will he be sidelined for an extended period to get his life sorted?

Or will we see him back after a couple of weeks of ''punishment'' in time to prepare for the British and Irish Lions series?

It all depends on which magic number pops up.