Could Monaghan's reformation have worked for Carney?

Joel Monaghan’s name has cropped up a fair bit of late in light of the latest Todd Carney incident.

Monaghan, a former Carney teammate, left Canberra at the end of 2010 after an image of him simulating a sex act with a dog during ‘Mad Monday’ was published on social media.

It was part of a drunken prank and the winger quit the Raiders in disgrace. It was not a great moment in the history of the NRL.

And that was that in terms of Monaghan’s NRL and Australian representative career. He joined Warrington Wolves in Super League for the 2011 season and has been there ever since.

I spoke to Monaghan about his career, including that incident, in March for a feature about him and his brother Michael.

He explained at the time what he now thought about the incident.

“At the time I thought my world was ending, to get out of Australia was pretty handy,” he said.

“The fans here, not our fans, the other fans here, don’t let you forget too quick.

“There was a time there when I thought I could have finished up footy, but to be given the chance to come over and start fresh I have to thank Warrington for that.

“It ended up being the best decision I’ve made.”

There’s no doubt that the Super League move has been good for Monaghan. Playing alongside his brother and coached by Australian Tony Smith, he has been a revelation.

In just over a century of games he averages more than a try a game, has won a Challenge Cup and played in a grand final. He has even played three times for the Exiles against England, and positively, has remained controversy free.

No more incidents, and no drunken pranks or outrages.

Monaghan’s footy has been outstanding, and he has found a home at the Halliwell Jones Stadium. He will likely see out the rest of his career in England, where he is regarded league-wide as a prolific and dynamic finisher on the wing or in the centres.

Now I don’t profess to know Joel Monaghan well, considering I’ve only had a few conversations with him, and I’ve never met or spoken to Todd Carney.

But it is interesting what a change – of country, club, social group or living arrangements – can do for somebody, particularly professional athletes. Take someone away from bad influences and a troubling environment, and when you look at the Raiders record in the past six years you could call it that, and often it can be godsend.

Fleeing the NRL fishbowl is a drastic move but it can also help. As Sonny Bill Williams, of course in much different circumstances, has shown.

It did seem to work for Carney in 2009 when he was in Atherton in north Queensland. But it didn’t last long as episodes at the Roosters and now the Sharks have shown.

Funnily enough, Carney tried to join Super League club Huddersfield in 2008 after he was sacked by the Raiders, but the move was blocked because of his drink driving offences.

I wonder what would have happened if Carney had been allowed to head to the UK, whether he could have been reformed there. Or whether the same sort of behaviour would have continued.

Joel Monaghan will always have to live with his controversy but his image has largely been rehabilitated. It seems unlikely at this stage Carney’s ever will.

It’s something to ponder as the NRL digests another alarming off-field incident it could surely do without.

Follow John Davidson on Twitter @johnnyddavidson