By Brad Walter
Troubled South Sydney forward Paul Carter has been sacked after missing a training session following a weekend bender.
Carter, who was previously released by Gold Coast after two drink driving offences, recently signed a contract extension with the Rabbitohs after moving to Redfern last year but now he is again without a club.
"The board has made a decision today to terminate Paul's contract immediately as a result of his recent conduct," Souths football manager Shane Richardson said on Tuesday.
"We have given Paul all of the support, and every opportunity, to get his career and life back on track but unfortunately he has been unable to meet the standards we had agreed [to] when Paul joined the club."
Warned: Paul Carter of the Rabbitohs has been sacked by the club.
It is understood Carter was on his final warning with the Rabbitohs when he failed to attend a training session after the club's round 17 loss to North Queensland. The match was played on a Friday night and he is believed to have spent the weekend drinking and been in no state to report for training.
Carter has since checked into the same Thai rehabilitation centre used by Sydney Roosters star Mitchell Pearce after his Australia Day antics and Richardson said the club was not turning its back on him.
"This is a bigger issue than football for Paul," he said. "Needless to say, we will continue to provide welfare, support and assistance to Paul in his continuing rehabilitation."
No decision was made on the future of centre Kirisome Auva'a, who faces a 12-match ban after a second breach of the NRL's anti-doping policy.
Meanwhile, Jarrod Mullen is to provide hapless Newcastle with some welcome relief when he makes his long-awaited NRL return against Melbourne on Sunday. The Knights five-eighth is set to make his comeback after a ruptured hamstring kept him sidelined since April.
After just 10 appearances because of a toe problem last year, and just eight games so far this season, Mullen is hoping his run of bad luck is at an end.
He will also inject some much-needed confidence into Nathan Brown's young side who are languishing at the bottom of the ladder with just one win.
This week Mullen admitted he'd considered giving the game away after being forced to have surgery twice in the past 12months, but spoke of his desire to help them climb from last spot.
Sydney Roosters' Jackson Hastings might have played his last game for the club after he was dropped to reserve grade for the second time this year.