Carney- Should He Get Chucked From the Game Altogether?

Bugger

Todd Carney has been a character that has been in trouble for years through his incredible career in the NRL. The 2010 Daly M Medalist has recently just been stood down indefinitely after he was found to have been possibly drinking whilst he was supposed to be dry because of his attendance to AA Meetings. He is also under a 12-month good behavior bond from his current charges, on the 26th of February 2011 it was reported that Carney will be facing a low-range drink driving charge.

It was from these charges that he was given an ultimatum by NRL Chief Executive that this was his last chance, any further issues with the troubled star and he would be excluded from the sport for good. Now that these revelations have come about, Carney will re-appear in court no doubt to see what his fate will be.

This brings up the debate that has been rife in Rugby League for many years, the behavior of the players at many times can be rowdy, abusive and even law breaking. Many-a-player has been suspended or excluded completely from the sport. Some nightclubs in hot areas in Australia have at times gone to extensive lengths to exclude all professional League players from being allowed on their premises.

Kings Cross

Such steps made the NRL put a very hard line on players and their behavior. Clubs have rules in regards to alcohol consumption where they are not allowed to consume the drink for a certain period of time before their upcoming match that weekend, they also have imposed various curfews when teams are on tour at grounds other than their own.

However with the current dramas that have been brought on by Todd Carney, should these restrictions be more? Should teams that employ these professional players- remember, this is their profession, not a game- for hundreds of thousands of dollars, be put on a leash for the entire season?

Surely if the players were given a zero tolerance on their contract, yet given some sort of good behavior bonus every so often when they perform well that would allow them to consume alcohol and relax a little- this could be something that would be very beneficial to the players and the clubs alike. Clubs will no longer have to put up with players like Todd Carney wasting their money and time.

Todd Carney is an exceptional player, there is no doubting this, but it is the younger generation that look up to these sorts of men, they are subjected to looking at what seems to be another child that cannot seem to understand that he has had far too many chances from the highest echelons of his sport.


The name Todd Carney will no longer again be on any team starting list.