NRL bad boy Paul Carter to take on ex-Eels star Danny Wicks in Group 2

SPORT CONFIDENTIAL: Paul Carter will face convicted drug dealer and fellow ex-NRL player Danny Wicks after resuming his rugby league career on the NSW north coast.

PAUL Carter will come head to head with convicted drug dealer and fellow ex-NRL player Danny Wicks after resuming his rugby league career on the NSW north coast.

The rugby league bad boy will face court next month after allegedly supplying cocaine to former Sydney Roosters teammate Shaun Kenny-Dowall.

The 25-year-old played his first game for the Coffs Harbour Comets in the Group 2 competition last weekend since being axed by his third NRL club last month.

Paul Carter at his father Steve's Coffs Harbour home. Photo: Nathan Edwards

Despite his bleak track record, Group 2 rugby league president Warren Gilkinson said he was comfortable with Carter turning out for the Comets.

“I don’t see any reason why he can’t be playing,” Gilkinson said. “He is up here on rehab. It’s good to get him out of the city and relax and play country football.”

As for his pending charge Carter faces, Gilkinson said “that’s up to the courts to decide”.

Gilkinson was concerned the Country Rugby League could intervene and cancel Carter’s registration.

After helping the Comets to a 30-12 win against Woolgoolga last week, Carter will line up in a top-of-the-table clash against the Grafton Ghosts — a team which includes former St George Illawarra, Newcastle and Parramatta forward Wicks.

Wicks was released from jail in 2013 after spending 18 months behind bars for drug dealing when he was with Newcastle. He resurrected his NRL career with Parramatta before retiring at the end of last season to return to Grafton, despite having two years remaining on his deal.

Danny Wicks is currently playing in Grafton. Photo: Mark Evans

It is understood Carter has been living with his dad Steve, the former Penrith and NSW Origin star.

Gilkinson expected Carter to line up against Wicks and another ex-NRL player, Clint Greenshields, on Sunday.

“At this stage he is still playing,” Gilkinson said. “He played quite well last week but found the game a lot slower. These blokes train just twice a week.”

Police will allege Carter supplied Kenny-Dowall with cocaine at the Ivy in May this year. He is due to appear before the Downing Centre Local Court on August 28.

PAY WAR NO CLOSER TO RESOLUTION

TODD Greenberg and Rugby League Players Association boss Ian Prendergast may have ended an impasse but the two parties are no closer towards agreeing to a collective-bargaining agreement.

The two may have enjoyed a fancy dinner in Brisbane this week, but little developments were made. The main topic of conversation surrounded the RLPA’s desire for a fixed revenue share and exactly what that number will be. Greenberg did hint however he would play a more active role in negotiations, but when formal negotiations recommence is yet to be confirmed.

The RLPA wanted a week-long bargaining session from Monday but that is now unlikely with some more informal sit downs to occur before negotiations start again.

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The NRL confirmed The Sunday Telegraph report that the preseason Nines tournament would not be played next year due to the end-of-year World Cup.

The nines and the All-Stars match — which is also shelved for next season — are expected to return in 2019.

Queensland’s dominance hasn’t stopped fans tuning in. (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

ORIGIN STILL THE BIGGEST

ORIGIN III proved to a ratings winner for Channel Nine as it became the most-watched television program of the year with a national peak audience of 4.178 million people.

More than one million people watched on in Sydney, Brisbane had 867,000 people tune in while 378,000 watched in Melbourne. The result betters Seven’s 2017 Australian Open men’s final, watched by 3.615 million people in January — previously the highest ratings mark of the year.

BACK THE BLUES?

THE TAB have amazingly installed NSW $1.65 favourites to win the 2018 series. No joke.

A day after Queensland greats Smith, Cronk and Slater embarrassed the Blues, the TAB were still prepared to stick with them for next year.

The Maroons are $2.35, with TAB spokesman Matty Jenkins pointing out there would be no Johnathan Thurston and probably no Cronk.

NSW were backed off the map before kick-off on Wednesday.

Klemmer was one of the few Blues to do himself justice. (AAP Image/Dan Peled)

DAVID Klemmer was voted NSW’s players’ player on Wednesday night, and it was impossible to argue otherwise after he had 17 runs and racked up 166m. He added plenty of mongrel when coming off the bench.

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JAMES Maloney was at his cheeky best when he launched Matt Gillett’s golden boot 15 rows back into the stands at Suncorp Stadium on the hour mark, only for Valentine Holmes to cross for his third try less than 30 seconds later.

Wade Graham and Will Chambers renewed their rivalry with plenty of sledges, while Chambers also mouthed off to the Hayne Plane late in the second half.

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IT was a shame the Suncorp Stadium playing surface was not at its best for arguably the biggest rugby league game to be played there all season.

Despite little rain falling up north, the surface was slippery because of the Jeff Horn fight days earlier.

Jason Nightingale won’t head overseas when his NRL time finishes. Photo: Phil Hillyard

NIGHTINGALE WON’T FLY

JASON Nightingale has inked a new deal to remain at St George Illawarra next season, but if 2018 happens to be his last, the 30-year-old will not look to chase a rich Super League deal in England.

Nightingale told us he already had several things happening off the field, including conducting training courses for NRL players and other sporting bodies, while his wife will also resume her own career as a criminal lawyer.

“England would be a great experience, but I’ve been putting me first for so long, and the time has arrived to put other people first,’’ said Nightingale, who would love to push on to 2019, but is already grateful for an added season.

Corey Harawira-Naera will finally play alongside his mate. (Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

OLD MATES IN AUCKLAND

THERE will be some special scenes in a wet and windy Auckland on Friday night when Penrith pair James Fisher-Harris and Corey Harawira-Naera get to spend time on the field together in an NRL game for the first time.

Gus Gould plucked Fisher-Harris and Harawira-Naera were plucked from the north of New Zealand a few years ago.

They have since emerged as two key backrowers for the Panthers, where Harawira-Naera had often had to play translator to the Penrith boys in the early days because Fisher-Harris’ Kiwi accent was so thick.

When Harawira-Naera signed, he said the immediate goal was to be on the field at the same time as his best mate. The one time they did play in the same game, Fisher-Harris came off injured as Harawira-Naera came on.