Ben Barba has taken no time at all to find a new career with the disgraced former NRL player reportedly set to start his new job as a truck driver next week.
Barba was sacked by the North Queensland Cowboys and deregistered by the NRL at the start of February after an alleged Australia Day physical altercation with his partner.
The former Dally M Medal winner's career was effectively ended by the move, with other governing bodies such as the RFL and Rugby Australia stating they backed the NRL's decision and wouldn't offer a lifeline to Barba.
The NRL delivered the punishment after their integrity unit reviewed CCTV footage of the alleged incident involving him and the mother of his four children at a Townsville casino.
With his lifetime ban finalised, Barba has decided to get behind the wheel with The Courier Mail reporting he will start his new job as a truck driver on Monday in his hometown of Mackay.
It's a steep fall from grace for Barba, with his days of $500,000 salaries well and truly behind him - the average wage for an Australian truck driver is $27.20 (NZ$28.26) an hour.
Despite the swift axing from the Cowboys, North Queensland's head of Football Peter Parr says the club will help Barba rebuild his life for his family.
"We are going to help Ben wherever possible," Parr told The Courier Mail .
"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."
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