He is previously played with Japanese Top League clubs Panasonic Wild Knights and the Ricoh Black Rams, as well as in the Super Rugby competition with the NSW Waratahs and Queensland Reds.

Barnes continued playing rugby league as well, and was picked for Brisbane Broncos development camps.

[2] Barnes was a star wicketkeeper-batsman in junior cricket[4][5] and was also good enough to win state championship medals in swimming.

[8][9] Barnes made his NRL debut for Brisbane in 2005 at the age of 18, coming off the bench in round 8 against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.

[10] However, shortly after his first run-on start with the Broncos, Barnes signed a two-year deal with the Queensland Reds to switch codes and play rugby union.

[17] Barnes made his international debut aged 21 in Australia's first pool match of the 2007 Rugby World Cup, against Japan.

[19]The following week, for Australia's next World Cup match against Wales at the Millennium Stadium, Barnes was originally selected as a replacement.

[20] He played the full match and made a significant contribution to Australia's 32–20 victory, setting up a try for Matt Giteau and then scoring a field goal from 32 metres.

Barnes was rested for the final pool game but returned to the starting line-up for the quarter-final match against England in Marseille, where Australia exited the tournament.

[1] A shoulder injury in the historical victory over the Springboks in the Tri-Nations disrupted his season,[1] but he was selected for the 2008 Spring Tour.

[21] The following year, Barnes was named vice-captain of the Wallabies for the 2009 Spring Tour but was sent home after he rolled his ankle at a training session in Tokyo, Japan and sustained a syndesmosis injury.

[23] In the final Test of the 2010 Spring Tour, Barnes, playing at inside centre, linked with fly-half Quade Cooper to help orchestrate a spectacular 59-16 demolition of France, in Paris.