North Queensland’s stars have come to the rescue of inundated Townsville residents, ferrying them to higher ground during the city’s floods.

The likes of Scott Bolton, Gavin Cooper, Michael Morgan, John Asiata and former winger Antonio Winterstein rolled their sleeves up to lend a hand.

While football news in recent days has largely centred on the Cowboys’ sacking of Ben Barba, the players had more pressing issues helping out fellow residents.

Bolton and Cooper were photographed in Bolton’s boat helping flood victims as authorities struggle with requests for assistance.

When Ben Hampton’s home was inundated, Bolton came to the rescue of the utility back and his dogs.

Winterstein and Asiata were seen venturing out in a boat to assist people stuck in rising waters. Winterstein’s wife took to social media offering help to anyone who needed it.

“We’ve got a lot of people here with cars and if you need we’re dropping people off at the army barracks,” Brooke Winterstein said on the Facebook live stream.

“One of the families that just came over said there’s a house with 21 people in there.”

A Cowboys spokesman said Morgan and back-rower Shane Wright were also among a host of players who had gone to the rescue of others.

On Saturday about 15 members of the squad helped fill sandbags for anyone who wanted to shore up their property.

Several Cowboys players and officials, including Jake Granville and Ethan Lowe had to be evacuated.