- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Vulgar, disgusting, atrocious. These are but a few words that spring to mind when describing Todd Carney’s latest indiscretion.
It is an act that has seen the Cronulla Sharks rip up his lucrative $3million contract after a photo of the troubled playmaker urinating into his own mouth went viral over the weekend.
It is hard to fathom how such a gifted athlete can delve to such sad lows in a career littered with court appearances, bad headlines and contract terminations.
This morning Carney wakes to what will be undoubtedly be another day of regret and embarrassment. On his best day, the Dally M Medallist was a bona fide match-winner with the world at his feet.
On his worst day he is a Gen Y punk in serious need of professional help.
Cronulla released this statement on Sunday evening:
“The Cronulla Shark Football Club has today after careful consideration and lengthy deliberation, including discussions with senior NRL management, made a decision to terminate Todd Carney’s NRL playing contract effective immediately” the statement said.
“At the Sharks we are committed to building a successful club, a club with strong values and a club which sets and respects high standards in all aspects of its operations and activities.
“When Todd was first signed to the Sharks he was made well aware of his responsibilities both on and off the field, to himself, the club and to the game in general, however the photograph that appeared last night on social media does not meet the values and standards the club is looking to uphold and take into the future”.
Carney’s manager David Riolo did his best to smother the situation on 2UE Monday morning.
“It’s a setup, like when people stand in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa,” Riolo said.
“Todd’s paid a very, very heavy price for a photo that he didn’t want out there or upload himself.
“It was supposed to be kept between mates.
“He’s now got a photo of himself gone worldwide in not a very pleasant setting that’s going to be on the net for his family and everyone to see for future generations. That in itself is a very big price to pay”.
Save it Mr. Riolo, nobody is buying it.
Reports suggest the photo was taken at Northies nightclub after Cronulla’s 26-0 drubbing at the hands of the Manly Sea Eagles on the 21st of June. It was the third time they had been held scoreless in 2014, despite star five-eighth Carney calling the shots for the hapless Sharks. Across from him was Daly Cherry-Evans, who was backing up from State of Origin and playing on one leg.
Cherry-Evans tore them to shreds.
Carney was yet again a passenger.
Nobody is saying players shouldn’t be allowed out to have a drink. But Carney’s timing couldn’t be worst. Hours after another flogging and with the club at their lowest ebb, Carney is out running amuck letting his so-called “mates” take horrendous photos inside the toilets of Northies?
Statistics also suggest Carney was not living up to his $3 million price tag despite an improved performance in Cronulla’s win over the Brisbane Broncos last Friday night.
The five-eighth had missed 34 tackles up until his axing with many of them telling, including nine against the Sydney Roosters in Round 9 and Round 4 against Newcastle.
This is a club in complete and utter disarray and Carney’s actions are a window into a deepening abyss for a franchise that hasn’t had a major sponsor in years.
Rugby league’s eighth immortal, Andrew Johns, believes Carney will get another shot in the NRL. But who in their right mind would even consider the troubled pivot?
No club is struggling to the degree that Carney is a legitimate option. What kind of message does Carney’s signature send to a club’s members, fans and the other players?
Let’s just hope Carney can now find some normality and peace away from the spotlight and he gets the counselling he so obviously needs.
Here lies Todd Carney’s career, 2004-2014.
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.