Ben Barba sacked by North Queensland Cowboys after casino incident, facing assault allegation
Ben Barba has been sacked by the North Queensland Cowboys after an incident at a Townsville casino.
According to Nine NRL reporter Danny Weidler, Barba is "alleged to have physically assaulted his partner", with CCTV at the casino said to have captured the incident.
Barba was planning to return to the NRL after a three-year hiatus from the competition following a drug scandal in 2016.
The incident comes after the former Shark was named as the fullback for the Indigenous team for the All Stars clash on February 15.
The Cowboys confirmed the immediate termination of Barba's contract in a press release on Friday evening.
In the statement, Cowboys Chairman Laurence Lancini suggested that the 29-year-old had violated the terms of his contract with the team.
Barba had reportedly been training well prior to the incident at the Townsville casino Supplied
"When a player agrees to join the North Queensland Cowboys he agrees to abide by the terms of the contract," Lancini said in the statement.
"After an internal investigation, it has been determined that this player acted in contradiction to both the terms and the spirit of that agreement.
"Accordingly, the club has terminated his contract and has informed the NRL's Integrity Unit."
Barba last played in the NRL in 2016 as a member of the Cronulla Sharks AAP
Barba's troubled past was looking firmly in the rear view mirror prior to the incident, and the Indigenous team's coach Laurie Daley threw his support behind the controversial star.
"He's played well over there in the English Super League and, by all reports, he's training the house down up there in North Queensland," Daley said.
"It's a big game for a lot of people and also Benny because he can come back and put the stuff that happened to him behind him and pull on the shirt and represent his family and his culture.
"And show that if you do make a mistake, there's always a chance to bounce back."
Barely a month after helping Cronulla to their maiden premiership in 2016, Barba left the NRL in disgrace after being suspended for testing positive to cocaine.
But, after failing in a rugby union stint in France, he found a new lease of life in the Super League, where the claimed the Man of Steel award as league MVP.
And his reformation looked to have resulted in an anticipated return in the NRL, only to again find himself in trouble without playing a single minute.
- with AAP
