Why every player should get only two chances after off-field incidents

Feral? Oh nah, nah, not at all. I have a video featuring Our Toddie Bird, Our Greggie Carney - ah, whatever - having a gurgle; that sophisticated Gallen fella laughing (bork, bork, bork, snort, sniffle, heh, heh) about his twit-for-brains from Hawaii bagging the NRL when he was depressed; and the Souths captain hooking into the ref tonight with "effin this" and "effin that". The family loves it - we sit and roll about laughing, me and the grandchildren, it's a hoot. I have to mute it when my daughters walk in to the room because they don't like it for some reason. They inexplicably signed their boys up for soccer or something which I don't understand, really.

He is a great player, what the hell are you talking about "he could be a great player"? Carney has to be accepted back into the NRL as he has done nothing wrong in as far as the NRL and his contractual obligation to the game of RL. Yes he has done plenty wrong in towards club standards which are a specifics to a contract to that club only but he has done nothing wrong in playing the game of RL and as far as the NRL. "Carney appealed the sacking and last month won the wrongful dismissal case against Cronulla within the NRL’s appeals structure and he may not be entitled to compensation, Carney wasn’t banned by the NRL however, and he could come back to Australia with the Sharks or even another club if the game’s governing body allows it, that is why irrespective of the Sharks accepting him back or not any other club could contract Carney and get him back to play RL,. Hope he gets over all this BS that is keeping a great player from playing the game of RL and I'm sure that he would have learned by now that this is his last chance that he has and only a few more years in RL to express his exceptional talents as a player. Give him a chance. I think the Dogs captain Graham has more to answer to the NRL then Carney has ever had with his bad mouth and suicidal barging and shouldering and god knows what he will do next on the field lol

I think the NRL are getting tougher. Players are regularly getting 9 to 12 to 18 months out of the game for off field incidents. That's never happened before. Even if Carney comes back next year he will have spent well over two years, probably closer to three effectively banned from the NRL. For a career that may only go ten years that is a fair chunk of time. There just needs to be more transparency and more consistency with the way things are handled. I think a 'two strikes and you're out' program is an atrocious idea.

Hahahaha....nice one Planks. If we give him another couple of years he may actually be hitting the trough...

Richard you seem to be misinterpreting what I am saying here. I'm am not aligning the Leagues response directly to the court system, but to the impact such behaviour has upon the League's image. I am suggesting that different types of offences need to be seen in context when deciding whether a player is banned or suspended from playing. Of course firstly, just as with the legal system, a presumption of innocence should prevail until guilt is established, not a knee jerk reaction as we've seen too often such as with the Brett Stewart episode. But when someone is found guilty of an offence, the League then has to have its own set of standards depending upon the nature of the offending behaviour. The purpose which is covered by law, is based on the impact such an offence has upon the employer's (The League) standing in the community.

True, it is hard to come up with a black and white rule for these issues. But i think its safe to say that most, if not all, supporters agree that the NRL needs to be a lot tougher with players who repeatedly breach the rules.

Gee, i dunno cobber, what is the next trick he will perform? Maybe he and Russell Packer can do a halftime show in which they cross their streams with strobe lights on the fountain effect these 2 p1ssers can put together. It would get the trenchcoat crowd into the stadiums i tell ya!

That is why the action to ban players has to come from the NRL and not left upto clubs.

..... and it is exactly that sort of attitude that has got Cronulla into so much strife over the years. These idiots cause untold damage in ways that you can never directly link to them or to any single incident. How many potential sponsors have turned away from the sharks because of Carney's antics, How many millions of dollars ? How many lost fans, parent's refusing to allow their kids to go to Cronulla games because they don't want a picture of a tattoo strewn pisshead on their son's wall ? Low morals as a club or as a game brings its own reward.

Well said Turbowed. Carney is a prime example of the NRL's in action in these matters. He should be banned from playing in the NRL ever again.

Agree EPI then you have Houston who got off on a technicality cause he did not confess. He was charged at the same time as Hicks and got off due to a evidence chain issue . Houston barely missed a training session.

Mate I would be happy to have him at Manly peeing on one self is a massive improvement on peeing on others. He is showing steady improvement TURBO. I reckon Carney, Albert Kelly and Sammy B for less than DCE and Foran. At least 300 to 400 to spare. The game of rugby league salary cap or no salary will always be MONEYBALL.

Its hard one to come-up with a black and white rule to address. Every situation is different. For instance, Pierce getting kicked out of a nightclub was a bad look for the game. He got stood down for a game and indirectly missed Origin selection. He's kept his nose clean ever since. Russell Packer went to jail for stomping on another bloke's head, he hasn't even finished serving his sentence before clubs are wanting to sign him up. I think a key thing here is time. Dugan barely saw any repercussions for his behaviour. Wicks had to fight long and hard to prove himself.

The court of public opinion is 100% over Todd Carney. He is feral. So, yeah, you can let him back in the NRL but it does reflect well on the rugby league brand at all. No advertiser would touch him. He could have been a great player.

Id take carney back now, we need him , i dont care how much he drinks, id like us to win, my team is a basket case so lets take back the biggest basket case in the game, desprate times calls for desprate measures!

There are repeat offenders like Carney and Ferguson who never get it..Yes they go through various programs and keep their respective noses clean for a while but after a while they will have a night out and it will be like Ground Hog Day.. They can't help themselves . The only solution is total abstinence from alcohol as in all cases that is the common denominator.. ..Carney still drinks..Ferguson despite his "conversion" to Islam and declaration via his cousin Anthony Mundine that he is off the drink still drinks..I would like to be as sure as winning the Lotto that he will re-offend again after a heavy night on the turps.. Fergusons history is appalling and disgusting and the NRL should never have given him another chance.He has already had 4 or 5 transgressions. .He is an out and out grub ...Alcohol is not an excuse. It is a sad reflection on the Roosters team and coach when they come out and tell anyone who wants to listen what a great bloke and role model he is.. The NRL want to attract women to the game but they have virtually condoned that sickening act he perpertrated on that poor woman at the night club in Cronulla. How would David Smith feel if that was his daughter? What message does that send to other young footballers? Don't worry about stuffing up because you will always get a 2nd or 3rd chance but in Carney and Fergusons cases maybe a 4th, 5th or 6th chance..

Bearfax, the law has little to do with it. The police, courts and legal system deal with the law. The only thing that the NRL should be concerning itself with is the impact that action has on the game - eg bad press, loss of image, loss of sponsors/fans etc Whilst I agree that different offences impact the game differently and should therefore be punished by the NRL differently I firmly believe that any linkage with the legal system should be loose at best.

There is sense in what you are saying but I believe that the whole "bad boy behaviour" problem and the NRL's attitude to it needs a complete overhaul and it needs to become significantly tougher. It needs to draw up a framework for such behaviour and the punishments that are levied. e.g. minor issues that every kid does and every kid gets away with but the press blow out of all proportion - eg being asked to leave a pub or club by management - Punishment 1st time - slap on the wrist and fine, 2nd time Warning and bigger fine, 3rd time fine and 6 week ban etc issue that gives significant bad press criminal or not - 1st time 6 week ban, 2nd time 10 week ban, 3rd time 1yr ban etc issue involving violence or police conviction - 1st time - 1 yr ban, 2nd time lifetime ban issue resulting in imprisonment - lifetime ban

I would suggest like in Law it should depend on the nature of the offending. Coming under notice for example for off field fighting that doesnt result in conviction, is a lot different from something like a conviction for sexual assault or drug supply. Perhaps like in the legal system the League should have its own code of ethics relating to each type of offending behaviour and act accordingly.

Shouldnt this this tread be in the Rugby League tab.