Footy bad boy Ben Barba goes from $500,000 a year to $27 an hour as a truck driver after shocking domestic violence claims saw him rubbed out of the sport for life Former rugby league star Ben Barba will swap football boots for work boots Barba will take up job as truck driver after being banished from the game He was banned from rugby league after a February domestic violence incident By Adam Mccleery and Charlie Moore For Daily Mail Australia Published: 13:59 GMT, 14 February 2019 | Updated: 21:35 GMT, 14 February 2019 3 Viewcomments Only weeks ago Ben Barba was considered one of rugby league's most exciting stars, and was in training for the upcoming season at the North Queensland Cowboys with a $500,000-a-year contract. But on Monday, he started work as a truck driver, earning $27 an hour. The former North Queensland Cowboys and Cronulla Sharks player was banned from the game after he was filmed allegedly hitting his girlfriend, Ainslie Curry, at Townsville's Ville Resort Casino on Australia Day. After the altercation was made public, NRL CEO Todd Greenberg said it was time for Barba, the 2012 Dally M Payer of the Year, to find a new job. Once considered one of rugby league's rising stars, Ben Barba traded his lucrative $500,000 a year contract for life as a truck driver on Monday (pictured with his girlfriend) Barba was set to play for the North Queensland Cowboys in 2019 on a lucrative deal before the alleged incident on Australia Day 'It was a physical altercation and that's all I needed to see and all I needed to be told in order to make the decision we've made,' he said. 'I can't see a time at anytime in the future that he'll be welcomed back. 'In the jurisdiction that I uphold there's no place for him. It's time for Ben Barba to find a new vocation.' And it looks as if Barba has done just that. The 29-year-old started driving trucks in Mackay for about $27 an hour on Monday - a far cry from the $500,000 a year he was set to earn with Cowboys this year. Cowboys' head of football Peter Parr confirmed to The Courier Mail the club is still in touch with Barba and his family, who he feels they still have a duty of care for. '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,' he told the publication. The former North Queensland Cowboys and Cronulla Sharks player was banned from the game earlier in the month after he was filmed allegedly hitting his girlfriend, Ainslie Curry, at Townsville's Ville Resort Casino on Australia Day (pictured with their children) Barba was hopeful he would be able to play in the local Mackay league after being blacklisted from the national competition but the state league has followed the lead of its national counterpart and banned Barba 'They are a young family and we feel we have a responsibility to help them, if indeed they want that help.' Barba was hopeful he would be able to play in the local Mackay league after being blacklisted from the national competition, but the state league has followed the lead of its national counterpart and banned Barba. Police are still investigating the alleged incident on Australia Day. Miss Currie has pleaded with the league to not ban Barba from the game for good. She reportedly declared the alleged domestic violence was a private matter. There were allegedly three incidents on Australia day, the first of which was a heated verbal exchange in front of Cowboys players, their partners and other guests at the swimming pool area. The second was an alleged physical altercation inside the venue which was captured on CCTV and shown to Cowboys officials. The next incident was an alleged altercation before getting into the taxi at the car park. Barba and Miss Currie have remained together and are currently living with their family in Mackay. Barba and Miss Currie have remained together and are currently living with their family in Mackay Read more: Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site dailymail and under his responsibility