From RLW Facebook page 23/5/15
DESPERATE Manly are ready to gamble on exiled playmaker Todd Carney after exhausting all their other options to replace star halves Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran.
Carney now plays for French club Catalans and, despite his long rap sheet, has the class to return to the NRL and dominate games.
RLW has learned that Sea Eagles officials have been in contact with Carney in a bid to lure him back to Australia . . . but there is a hurdle.
Manly would need a clearance from the NRL for the 28-year-old to return home after he was sacked by Cronulla last year – and it is yet to be granted.
Carney’s frustrated manager, David Riolo, is waiting on word from League Central about the possibility of the former Raider, Rooster and Shark coming home.
“He is in limbo because the NRL say you have to come to them with a contract and then they will decide whether to register it,” he says.
“So you can’t get a clear answer from them.
“I could do a deal with a Sydney club and then they could say, ‘No way’.
“I’ve asked them, ‘Can he come home’ and they say, ‘You get a club, lodge a contract and then we will decide’ . . . it makes it very hard.
“Theoretically I can’t negotiate with any clubs as Todd is contracted to Catalans. And he wants to do the right thing by them . . . they have been great to him.
“I can’t understand why the NRL can’t tell us where he stands before you lodge a contract.
“They (Catalans) have looked after him, but he is homesick and there is interest from clubs here – he is a quality player and there are few off-contract playmakers around. Hopefully something will work out.”
RLW has spoken to Carney in France and the 2010 Dally M Medallist is enjoying his time out of the NRL spotlight, but at the same time is missing his mates and home.
The Sea Eagles thought they had the answer to their prayers in boom Titans youngster Kane Elgey three weeks ago, but he backflipped on a rich deal with the club, to remain at the Titans.