Mason Barber, a young player contracted to the North Queensland Cowboys, has been stood down by the club after missing a flight to Rockhampton ahead of a Queensland Cup match. Barber was scheduled to play for the Mackay Cutters alongside fellow Cowboys-contracted players Liam Sutton, Xavier Kerrisk, and James Walsh but was omitted from the team due to the travel incident.

A Cowboys spokesperson confirmed that the suspension applies only to the upcoming game against the Central Queensland Capras. No further details have been provided regarding the reasons behind Barber’s failure to board the flight.

Barber remains under contract with the Cowboys through the end of the year. Following this period, he is expected to join the Perth Bears, coached by Mal Meninga, for their inaugural National Rugby League (NRL) season. To date, Barber has not made his NRL debut but has accumulated 12 appearances for the Mackay Cutters during the current season, primarily playing at centre and fullback.