NRL won’t be rushed on Carney’s contract

NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg says the game must learn from the lessons of the Matt Lodge affair if Todd Carney is welcomed back.

Greenberg met North Queensland coach Paul Green and club officials on Tuesday to talk through the matter, as the Cowboys continue to push for the registration of Carney’s contract.

The NRL boss is yet to make a call on whether Carney will return to the game but he hopes to meet with the 31-year-old after making an assessment in the coming weeks.

It comes after Greenberg admitted earlier this year that Lodge should have been made to speak over the summer, where he was largely shielded from the media and unable to tell his story to the public.

Greenberg said he wouldn’t rush any decision on Carney’s return – who could prove pivotal for the Cowboys during the Origin period.

“People want it to go as fast as I possibly can, but you’ve seen historically I’ll do it methodically, I’ll do it professionally and I’ll do it within the time frame that I think is to make the right decision,” he said.

A CONCLUSION to the Todd Carney saga appears several days away with NRL boss Todd Greenberg yet to meet the playmaker as he decides whether to register his Cowboys contract.

Greenberg was in Townsville on Monday and Tuesday for a pre-planned catch-up with Cowboys hierarchy, but told media in Sydney yesterday he is yet to sit down oneon-one with Carney.

The NRL is wary of being diligent through the process after the public relations disaster which followed the registration of controversial forward Matt Lodge at Brisbane.

“I haven’t sat down with Todd yet, although I did spend a good period of time in Townsville yesterday (Tuesday) speaking to the board of the Cowboys and their football department, including their coach,” Greenberg said.

“We’ve got an assessment to make and we’ll do that relatively quickly, and I’ll look to sit in front of Todd within the next week or two.”

Greenberg said there would be strict conditions in Carney’s contract to avoid the discipline issues which saw him banned from the NRL in 2014.

However, he indicated it would not include a blanket alcohol ban for the former NSW State of Origin five-eighth.

“There'll be specific conditions in his contract registration, as there will be specific conditions in the club’s contract registration,” Greenberg said.

“They’ll be centred around ensuring that previous mistakes and behavioural issues he’s encountered doesn’t happen again.

It is a frustrating wait for the 31-year-old, who got the green light to begin training with the Cowboys last week.

If Carney does return, Greenberg has already told Cowboys officials the lines of communication with the media and public must be open to make clear his rehabilitation.

It comes after Greenberg admitted earlier this year that Lodge should have been made to speak over the summer, where he was largely shielded from the media and unable to tell his story to the public.

Cowboys coach Paul Green told media yesterday he is confident the NRL will rule in their favour.

“I’m reasonably confident, but it’s not a simple process for obvious reasons,” Green said.