Carney’s carnage

If you haven’t already searched the internet for the lewd image of Todd Carney that hit cyberspace on Saturday night – don’t.

It is destined to burn long in the memory of those who have seen it.

Suffice to say, it gains an automatic entry into the Grand Final of viral shockers, alongside Joel Monaghan’s Mad Monday ‘dog act’.

Unlike Monaghan, Carney has a diabolical list of previous alcohol-related atrocities against his name. But just like his former Canberra teammate, the disgusting photo has likely ended Carney’s NRL career.

The former Test and Origin No.6 has already been sacked by the Raiders and Sydney Roosters in a tumultuous decade in the NRL.

Now he can add Cronulla to that list.

The Sharks scored one of the most extraordinary wins in their history on Friday, but the warm glow lasted only 24 hours. Carney ensured that the club’s disastrous season plumbed new depths after a shocking photograph of the star playmaker urinating towards his own mouth in a nightclub toilet surfaced on social media on Saturday night.

NRL chief Jim Doyle. Photo: Getty

The Sharks’ board decided to terminate the notorious repeat offender’s $650,000-a-year deal – which still had three seasons to run – during a telephone conference.

CEO Steve Noyce released a statement on behalf of the club on Sunday night, which included the following:

The overwhelming majority of NRL players are great role models.

“When Todd was first signed to the Sharks he was made well aware of his responsibilities both on and off the field, to himself, the club and to the game in general, however the photograph that appeared last night on social media does not meet the values and standards the club is looking to uphold and take into the future.”

The NRL strongly supported Cronulla’s stance.

“The overwhelming majority of NRL players are great role models who do such good work on and off the field,” chief operating officer Jim Doyle said.

“But those who want to bring the game into disrepute are on notice that their behaviour will not be tolerated and the Sharks should be commended for taking such a strong stand in this instance.”

Earlier in the day, the NRL’s Todd Greenberg was quizzed about the incident in a radio interview.

“Clearly I’d rather not be talking about these types of things,” Greenberg said.

“We’re certainly not shy of making hard decisions when they need to be made,” he added, indicating the NRL will stand in the way of Carney joining another club for the foreseeable future.

Newcastle legend Andrew Johns spoke out against Carney being dumped on the Sunday Footy Show. “Surely they couldn’t sack him for that,” Johns said.

“It’s silly … it’s stupid (but) he is only doing it to himself.”

More drink driving charges, setting a man’s pants on fire and constant whispers about many more incidents complete Carney’s extraordinary tale of booze-induced mayhem.

But Johns’ stance is likely to place him in the minority within a rugby league fraternity that has had a gutsful of Carney’s long-running behaviour, and off-field incidents bringing the game into disrepute in general.

Among Carney’s most noteworthy past indiscretions are having his licence suspended for five years for drink driving in 2007, before being charged again following a police car chase just three months later; he received a suspended jail sentence. The Raiders stood by him, but a little over a year later he was sacked after allegedly urinating on a patron at a Canberra pub and breaking a subsequent alcohol ban imposed on him by the club.

Banned from his hometown of Goulburn for more alcohol-fueled carnage, which attracted another suspended jail term for damaging a vehicle, Carney spent 2009 with the Atherton Roosters – where he was involved in several unsavoury incidents – before being thrown a lifeline by the Sydney Roosters.

He returned with an incredible Dally M Medal win, a Grand Final appearance and a Kangaroos debut in 2010, but was let go by the Roosters at the end of 2011 for breaking a team alcohol ban.

Mummy’s boy: With mother Leanne after winning the 2010 Dally M Medal. Photo: Getty

More drink driving charges, setting a man’s pants on fire and constant whispers about many more incidents in the Cronulla area that were ultimately kept under wraps complete Carney’s extraordinary tale of booze-induced mayhem.

Aside from the gravity of his latest misdemeanour, Carney’s actions away from the paddock this year had already sparked rumours Cronulla was looking to jettison him.

Cronulla and the NRL will also undoubtedly work closely with Carney to ensure his immediate welfare. But the NRL should prevent him linking with another club, at the very least de-registering him for 2015.

The furore has totally overshadowed the Sharks’ triumph – in which Carney played an integral role – at Suncorp Stadium, with the last-placed side overcoming a 22-point deficit during the second half and an unprecedented scoring drought to beat Brisbane 24-22.

It was the kind of comeback that would make David Middleton’s head explode, such was the volume of statistical and historical anomalies at play:

• The Sharks had won just two of 13 games this season, while they had been held scoreless in their last three straight matches – an all-time premiership record.

• Cronulla did not land on the board until the 54th minute, stretching the scoreless run to over 320 minutes, or more than four entire games of football.

• The comeback was the equal-seventh biggest in the history of the competition.

• It beat club records for the Sharks’ biggest comeback and the Broncos’ worst collapse by four points apiece.

But all that, of course, has been rendered irrelevant by Carney’s hideous antics.

The loss of James Tedesco spells bad news for Wests. Photo: Getty

Meanwhile … Brave Tigers’ season hangs in the balance

Wests Tigers produced one of the most courageous wins of their history, pipping Canberra 19-18 via a Braith Anasta field goal after losing James Tedesco in the opening seconds, before fellow backline stars Tim Simona and David Nofoaluma also departed due to injury.

But the broken kneecap suffered by Tedesco could have far-reaching implications for the plucky Tigers. The fullback was at the forefront of their blistering start to 2014, before they hit a mini-slump when he was sidelined. Back for only three weeks, Tedesco is likely to be ruled out for the season and the team will battle to make the finals without him.

Grand Final rematch a Grand Final preview?

Manly and the Sydney Roosters staged a high-quality heavyweight battle on Friday night, with the Sea Eagles snaring their second eight-point win of the season over their 2013 Grand Final conquerors.

But based on what the archrivals produced at Brookvale, they are a good chance of again lining up at opposite ends of ANZ Stadium on October 5. The Sea Eagles and Roosters are streets ahead of the competition in regards to talent, toughness and big-game temperament.

Week to remember for …

As always, it was a wild ride – but the New Zealand Warriors have claimed a big scalp ahead of their second bye, outlasting Penrith 30-20 in a seesawing contest in Auckland. Konrad Hurrell’s purple patch continued with a two-try effort opposite late inclusion Jamal Idris, while Shaun Johnson’s brilliant intercept try sealed the result with five minutes to go.

Week to forget for …

While their main rivals for the title produced a finals-quality duel, Souths flaked out 20-18 against a North Queensland side low on confidence and decimated by injury. The star-studded Rabbitohs fell behind 20-6 by halftime and could not land the go-ahead blow after clawing back during the second stanza.

Curtis Rona shows his dashing style for the Cowboys. Photo: Getty

Play of the week

On a weekend brimming with huge plays in attack and defence, brilliant long-range tries and sublime passes, our vote for the finest piece of athleticism goes to North Queensland’s rookie winger Curtis Rona, whose freakish effort to bat the ball in for Matthew Wright’s try was critical to the Cowboys’ upset of Souths.

Blunder of the week

Panthers fullback Matt Moylan channelled his inner Justin Hodges during the second half at Mt Smart, throwing an ill-advised pass in his in-goal that was pounced upon by Warriors wrecking ball Hurrell for a crucial 62nd-minute try.

Standout performer

Despite a once-in-a-season drop of a regulation high ball catch, Brett Stewart was unbelievable in Manly’s defeat of the Roosters. He scored from a dazzling double-switch set play, had a crucial hand in the Sea Eagles’ other three tries, and produced a magnificent tackle on opposite number Anthony Minichiello to set up the match-sealing passage.

Monday night

The St George Illawarra Dragons are hell-bent on revenge following their controversial after-the-siren loss in Melbourne earlier this season, but the Storm were brilliant last week in dismantling Parramatta. Expect another torrid and tight Monday night duel in Wollongong.