Keep on trucking: Ben’s new career
RUGBY LEAGUE A SHATTERED Ben Barba has begun a new career as a truck driver as the troubled rugby league bad boy attempts to recover from an NRL life ban following his sacking by the Cowboys.
The Cairns Post can reveal Barba will return to the workforce on Monday, driving trucks in hometown Mackay in a desperate bid to pay the bills for his young family after having his Cowboys contract torn up a fortnight ago.
Once rugby league’s No.1 player after winning the Dally M Medal in 2012, Barba has gone from an NRL star earning $500,000 to a blue-collar battler earning around $27.20 an hour – the average wage for an Australian truck driver.
Barba met with North Queensland’s welfare team on Wednesday to discuss his future as he plans to seek multifaceted professional help for alcohol abuse, anger management and relationship counselling.
Banned from also playing local league for Mackay, Barba is resigned to driving trucks with a view to one day securing more lucrative income working in the mines.
Barba had been preparing to make his Cowboys debut against St George Illawarra in the NRL premiership opener next month. Now he will trade fame and fortune for an honest day’s work driving the streets of Mackay.
Cowboys’ head of football Peter Parr said the club is trying to help Barba, partner Ainslie Currie and their four young daughters rebuild their life without a professional football income.
“Ben starts driving trucks on Monday and his longerterm goal is to work in the mines, so I hope he can turn things around,” Parr said.
“Ben’s welfare is still important to us.
“I’ve been in touch with Ben and he was in touch with our welfare manager the other day.
“We are going to help Ben wherever possible.
“At the end of the day, Ben is a human being with a partner and four young kids and we can’t just toss them out without any care.
“They are a young family and we feel we have a responsibility to help them – if indeed they want that help.”
Barba had his Cowboys contract torn up two weeks ago following an alleged altercation with Ms Currie at Townsville casino – prompting the NRL to issue a life ban to the talented fullback.
Queensland police are still investigating the incident, but Currie is standing by Barba, who met with the Cowboys’ welfare unit amid fears he is sinking into depression.
“Ben has had some dark days,” his manager Gavin Orr said.
“It may seem weird to some, but the person who is helping him through all this is his partner Ainslie.
“The family unit have been under a lot of stress, but they are still together.”