Carney Could be a Cooked Chook

Dally M Medallist Todd Carney’s career is again in limbo after yet another alcohol related incident.

The Roosters have confirmed that Carney, along with team mates Nate Myles and Frank Paul Nu’uausala were out drinking at a Sydney nightspot on Monday night, despite the fact that the club had imposed an alcohol ban on all players.

“The Sydney Roosters NRL playing squad made the commitment last week to avoid alcohol consumption for a two week period,” said the club in a prepared statement.

“The club can confirm that the players were at two Eastern suburbs establishments on Monday night. Investigations by the club have found no evidence of any anti-social conduct.”

While Nu’uausala is a first time offender, Carney and Myles have had alcohol related problems in the past.

Carney was charged for drink driving in February and narrowly avoided the sack. Then, despite promising club officials he would undergo a self-imposed alcohol ban, he was again in trouble for drinking in May this year and copped an ‘indefinite suspension’ which lasted four weeks.

Myles was also infamously stood down for six weeks in 2009 for defecating in the hallway of a Sydney hotel.

At this stage it appears as if none of the players will be sacked, with fines and suspensions appearing the more likely option.

Carney was banned from playing in the NRL in 2009 after he was sacked from the Canberra Raiders for a number of alcohol related incidents. He then returned in a blaze of glory last year, helping the Roosters to the Grand Final and picking up the Dally M Medal for the league’s Best and Fairest player of the year.

Earlier in the year NRL Chief Executive David Gallop said Carney’s career was ‘hanging by a thread’, however because he was not involved in any anti-social behaviour, it is believed that Gallop will leave Carney’s sanctioning in the hands of his club.

“At this stage there is no suggestion of anti-social behaviour so it is very much an matter between the club and its players,” Gallop said.

“On the face of it, Todd Carney appears to have failed to meet his end of the bargain with the club and the club will need to deal with that. His promise not to drink was to the club, not the NRL, and at this stage we will wait and see how the club deals with it.”

Punishment for the trio is expected to come from the Roosters player leadership group, who was in fact responsible for issuing the no alcohol edict.

It is believed that club captain Braith Anasta and veterans Jason Ryles, Anthony Minichiello and Sam Perrett will decide the fate of the group. Nate Myles was a part of the leadership group however he is expected to stand down from that post.

The Roosters have continually been embroiled in off field controversies this season, and former Australian Kangaroos captain Laurie Daley said he thought there was a culture problem at the Bondi club.

“I think the Roosters board will say they have had enough, we want to create a new culture…we cannot have people continually letting us down,” Daley said.

“There has always been rumours surfacing this year that a number of players have been out to all hours of the night on the drink and have not been concentrating on their football. Discipline this year has wavered and they find themselves near the bottom of the table.

Daley also said that Carney’s continual trust breaches have left the club in a very difficult decision.

“When you start to breach the trust of your team mates then you’re in big trouble. This is the second or third time he has done that. The players would be upset and the staff would also be upset because they have given him numerous opportunities to try and overcome his issues.”

Daley also said that he would not be surprised if the Roosters told Nate Myles, who has signed for next year with the Gold Coast Titans, that he was not required for the rest of the season.

One man who does have the right to feel outraged is former Roosters player Antony Watts, who was suspended following the second of Carney’s alcohol related incidents in May. As many athletes do these days, Watts took to Twitter to vent his frustration.

“Hahaha get rid of me, are you sure I was the problem. Please!” said Watts.

Carney and Myles have been named to play for the Roosters this weekend, while Nu’uausala is still serving a two week suspension for a dangerous throw.

Can the under fire Roosters possible beat the defending premiers this week? Bet now at Luxbet