The son of former international forward Steve McNamara, Ben is a versatile, playmaking halfback or hooker who has played Super League in each of the past six seasons. By signing for the Leopards from Hull, he was reunited with Adrian Lam, who coached him as a junior.

After graduating through the ranks of the Skirlaugh community club in his native Hull he was part of the Sydney Roosters junior teams while his father was assistant coach at the NRL club. It was during that time that he first encountered Lam, who was engaged in coaching the junior teams.

Ben made a try-scoring debut for Hull FC against Castleford Tigers in October 2020 and made 33 first team appearances for the club, scoring two tries and kicking 23 goals. Ironically his final appearance in the Black and White was in a 28-18 home defeat against a Catalans Dragons team coached by his father, in July 2023.

He made a dream start to his Leopards career, scoring a try in his side’s 54-4 win at Hull but after making nine appearances injury sadly curtailed his first year at the club. He played in over half the Leopards’ games in 2025 and also graduated with a Master’s degree in Sports Directorship.