Former NRL star reveals desire to play and coach on Coast in 2022
The polarsing former NRL five-eighth had a mooted move to Currumbin vetoed last year but that hasn’t ended his desire to play on the Coast.
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ONCE Todd Carney’s Byron Bay Red Devils contract expires at the end of 2021, the polarising former NRL star plans to take his talents to the Gold Coast, where, he says, he wants to begin his rugby league coaching journey.
Carney, 34, is on the final leg of a three-year deal with the Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League club, which he will captain-coach this year.
When the NRRRL was cancelled last year due to COVID-19, Carney was spotted at Currumbin Eagles training and very nearly lined up in the Rugby League Gold Coast competition, before Byron Bay vetoed the move.
“I just wanted to play a bit of footy, but it just didn’t come about,” Carney said.
“I’m on contract with Byron and they weren’t too happy about it.
“I’ve got another year at Byron, but I do want to test myself here in the Gold Coast comp at some point.”
The former Raiders, Roosters and Sharks playmaker had worked his way back from broken ribs and said his “body was ready to go” before the mooted move was shut down.
“I’m getting on, I’ll be 35 this year, but ideally in a year or two’s time I’d love to get myself in and around one of the clubs here … I’ll be sticking around rugby league, that’s for sure.”
Currumbin coach Matt Geyer, who played against Carney in the NRL, said the 2010 Dally M Medallist would “be the best player there” if he joined the RLGC.
“We’ve developed a strong culture at Currumbin and I think if he’d be willing to commit to that, he’d be definitely welcome,” Geyer said.
“However old he is, I'm pretty sure if he came back and played in the local A-Grade comp he'd be the best player there – he’s a pretty handy footballer.
I don’t know him (personally). But he’s out there giving back to the game and serving the game. He lives in Queensland. He’s still playing pretty good footy from all reports. Power to him.”
For his part, Carney is adamant his worth to a Gold Coast club will go beyond what he can offer in the halves – confirming his desire to shift into coaching as his playing days draw to a close.
“Hopefully one day I take over as a head coach here in the Gold Coast comp,” he said.
“I just want to put myself in a club where I can develop our juniors.
“My life now – I still play – but it's more about developing myself as a coach and as a halves coach, developing our youth of today.”
Those aspirations extend to the NRL, Carney says, though not the top job.
He would be happy to move the magnets as a positional coach; crafting the next Todd Carney boasting all the silky-skilled positives, but without the scandals that dogged the original.
“I’d love to be in a position at a club where I can offer my services to all ranges – coaching, the lessons I’ve learned from the game, then helping out kids,” he said.
“There are going to be kids who don’t go down the greatest path but you need to know you can get through it and get through the other side. Hopefully with my journey that I had I can help that one kid, 10 kids, 100 kids – if it’s no kids, at the least I can tell my story so that they don’t replicate it.”
Exclusive: Former Titan makes call on NRL retirement
From February 21, 2021 - Nic Darveniza
FORMER Gold Coast five-eighth Tyrone Roberts has declared he is ready to help lead a new team after his release from Parkwood.
Roberts played 59 matches for the Titans over four seasons but was dropped to make way for Jamal Fogarty, featuring just three times under coach Justin Holbrook.
After battling injury through the season the one-time captain and longest-tenured Titan behind Anthony Don and Ash Taylor was released without fanfare.
At 29, Roberts is adamant his football career is not over.
“I’m still looking for a gig, reaching out to all the clubs,” he said. “At the moment there a lot of young kids (and clubs) are trying to give them opportunities.
“It’s been a bit tough but I’m still keen to run around and try to find a team. I’m waiting for a club to have some faith in me to do a job.”
Roberts brings nine years and 156 matches of NRL experience, plus two matches for NSW Country and five for the Indigenous All Stars.
His absence from the Titans match-day 17 this season has allowed time for his battered body to recover.
“In the last two years I’ve been carrying an Achilles injury,” he said.
“I got it fixed up and I’ve been thankful for COVID (ruling him out of Intrust Super Cup contention) to give myself time to recoup.
“Now I’m ready to go, feeling good and waiting for an opportunity for a club to believe in me.
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“I just want to play rugby league, even if I’m just training I can share my knowledge.
“If I have to start from scratch and earn my way in I’d be happy to do that.”
Roberts has had more time to spend at home with his family as he mulls over his future.
“Basically, that’s my support base now. The support from them drives me to make the sacrifices I have to make so they can be happy,” Roberts said.
“They love what I do and love rugby league and seeing me on my T.V and the kids get excited. They’re old enough to understand.”
Roberts said he would play for any club at any level, including Titans affiliates Burleigh or Tweed should they show faith and offer to sign him.
‘I HAVEN’T HAD A DROP’: CARNEY DUMPS BOOZE FOR BOXING PREP
FORMER NRL bad boy Todd Carney has given up the drink as he prepares for the NRL All Stars boxing exhibition in Townsville on Friday night.
With the birth of his first son around the corner, the 2010 Dally M medallist says he will never go back to the hard-drinking days that dogged his decorated NRL career.
Carney has spent four weeks in intensive training for his first bout since a charity clash with Chris Sandow in 2016.
This weekend he will take on former Titan Scott Prince having stripped eight kilograms in four weeks.
He says making changes to his diet and eliminating booze for the first time has helped him hit peak physical condition at 34.
“I haven’t had a drop of alcohol since the 11th of January,” said Carney, who was dismissed by the Canberra Raiders in 2011 and Cronulla Sharks in 2014 for issues involving alcohol.
The former NSW Origin representative has put his past behind him and embraced clean living on the Gold Coast as he prepares to step back into the ring.
“My fight prep has been really tough on bad foods; bread, pasta, fizzy drinks, and alcohol,” he said.
“My Mrs is happy and I’m not sneaking out on a Friday after work. All in all it’s been a great change for me and it’s put me in a great position for the fight.”
Carney is determined to meet his son in March as a fit dad.
“I’ll have one beer after the fight but the little boy is on the way,” he said.
“I’ll wet his head when he comes and then I don’t think I’ll want to leave the house.
“I might have a beer but I won’t be leaving his side.
“It’s really exciting.”
Carney has trimmed down to 91kg and will fight Prince at 90 or lower on Friday.
He said he was looking forward to meeting him in the ring after the pair had “lipped off” to each other on the field as cheeky opposing No.7s.
“We had 12 other blokes standing in front of us to stop the fight (back then),” he said. “On the night it will be a bit of fun.”
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