Todd Carney has finally gained closure on his sacking from Cronulla, nine months after being shown the door by the NRL club.
Carney spoke with the Sharks’ board during the week, for the first time since winning his unfair dismissal case against them.
The former representative star, who is playing for Super League club Catalans Dragons, was sacked by the Sharks in June after an unsavoury image of him went viral on social media.
Carney won his appeal against Cronulla within the NRL’s appeals structure last month and he might be entitled to compensation.
The Sharks’ board spoke with Carney via Skype on Wednesday, but are yet to detail the results of that meeting.
However, Carney is unlikely to be brought back on board by the struggling Sharks despite several board members and coach Shane Flanagan said to be keen on the pivot’s reinstatement, especially given Cronulla’s horror 0-4 start to the NRL season.
Regardless, Carney’s manager David Riolo said the opportunity to speak with the Sharks’ board and put his case forward has allowed him to move on.
“It was a good opportunity for him to say what he wanted to say and to get some closure on what happened,” Riolo told AAP on Saturday.
“It has taken nine months, but he has had his chance to talk to them and now we are waiting to hear back.”
Given Carney was ruled to be have been unlawfully sacked in June, he might be entitled to a payout over that period before he joined Catalans, as it was ruled he was still employed by the club.
Carney has battled injury since joining the Super League.
He didn’t play in the Dragons’ thumping of Wakefield Wildcats on friday night due to a quad injury, and was sidelined with broken ribs last month.
“It is just frustrating for him because he has been hurt,” Riolo said.
“But he is just living his life over there and really getting to enjoy it.”
Riolo wouldn’t rule out a return to the NRL for the former Canberra and Sydney Roosters player with another club.
But any contract registered would first have to be ratified by the game’s governing body.
