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Todd Carney should never play in the NRL again

27th August, 2015
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The NRL's former bad boy could be edging towards a return. (AAP Image/Action Photographics, Colin Whelan)
Roar Guru
27th August, 2015
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4194 Reads

There have been rumblings for a few months about a possible return to the NRL for career bad boy Todd Carney.

After a (so far) successful stint in France, clubs seem to have already had their memories wiped, as he has this year been linked to the likes of Gold Coast, the Eagles and even the Sharks.

Despite all he’s been through in his career, Carney still seems to have some supporters out there. And that’s fine. Each to their own, everyone is entitled to their own stupid opinion and such.

But this matter far exceeds opinion. Todd Carney must not be allowed to play in the NRL again. And there are more than a few reasons why.

NRL has more to lose than to gain
Right now, the NRL is at a fairly fragile time in its existence. While we are a safe distance from another league-wide war, faith in the NRL from fans, pundits, the public and even the clubs is not exactly peaking at the moment.

So, what better way to remedy this than to bring back one of the most controversial players in recent history?

Perhaps the most troubling factor about this point is that lately, fans seem unconvinced that they should fork out their hard-earned to see their teams play, preferring to watch at home on TV.

While allowing Todd Carney back may appease a certain section of the NRL’s fans, a very significant slice of the revenue pie will be far from pleased – the families.

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Everyone knows families are where the money’s at when it comes to ticket sales, and mum and dad will be hardly happy to see the less than model citizen Todd Carney running around each week.

While we are not expecting the players to be anything more than an imperfect human, Carney is a horrible example for young kids who have just started watching the game.

Dangerous precedents set
Usually when the bad boys of Australian sport, let alone the NRL, are pointed to, most fingers point firmly at Carney.

The NRL has long been in a battle with the public as well as itself in regards to how to correctly deal with misadventure and law breaking. Sometimes it has won these battles, sometimes it hasn’t.

But it would be a massive loss if Carney was, for a third time, allowed back to the NRL with a new club. Such a move would set the NRL years back, not only in the credibility war but also in terms of precedent.

League consistency, and how one player can be treated differently by the league, both on and off the field, has long been a sticking point with fans.

The NRL would also be at a danger of creating a mentality among players that if you’re good enough, you can get away with it. This would cause a nightmare across all fronts.

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Disillusioned players
If letting Carney back into the NRL would prove wildly unpopular with fans, imagine how it would go down with players.

While the club that signs him would be gaining a fantastic footy player, think of the player whose spot he takes.

A player who obeys the law, follows league and team rules, discarded for a three-time loser, let back into the game only because he’s pretty good at what he does.

The same applies to State of Origin, if Carney was good enough to make it back to that level. It would provide another shocking example of the NRL youth.

Despite the fact that so many clubs run personal development programs, designed to build the character of the young boys transitioning into men, many of these clubs would be failing to practice what they preach by attempting to sign Carney.

It would show, if nothing else, that professional sport is a privilege for some, and a right for others.

The league lives on
Perhaps even most simply, the league lives on without guys like Todd Carney in it. Just this week, young superstar half Jayden Nikorima signed a lucrative $600,000 contract with the Sydney Roosters.

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With such fantastic young talent coming through our systems as it is, why waste time on guys like Todd Carney, someone hardly worthy of public appraisal.

No matter how many Dally M medals the guy’s won, sometimes it’s time to just move on. The league can do better.

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