CANBERRA legend Mal Meninga convinced troubled halfback Todd Carney to stay at the club earlier this year. Now he has advised him to "grow up".
Carney escaped an assault charge yesterday when a man who alleged the 22-year-old had urinated on him during a wild night at Canberra nightspot All Bar Nun on Sunday withdrew his complaint. It is understood the man is a friend of Carney's teammate Dane Tilse.
Winger Bronx Goodwin wasn't so fortunate. He has been charged with two counts of assault arising from an incident outside the same nightclub in the early hours of Monday morning and will appear in an ACT magistrates' court at a later date. Both players have been stood down pending a club investigation, and Raiders insiders say there is no chance of Carney playing Gold Coast at Canberra Stadium on Saturday night.
"The Raiders will now begin deciding on a course of action internally," chief executive Don Furner said. "At this stage both Bronx and Todd will remain suspended by the club, and their futures will be decided following consultation with the Raiders board, coaching staff and playing group.
"The Raiders take the issue of off-field behaviour very seriously, and will assess the situation involving both Bronx and Todd before deciding on any further action."
That Carney was not charged means it is doubtful the club will tear up the $1.6 million deal he signed in March. Whether Goodwin is afforded such leeway is unlikely and there were suggestions last night he had played his last game for the club.
It was Meninga's words of wisdom that largely convinced Carney to spurn offers from Penrith and Manly to stay at the Raiders. "He is still very important," Meninga told the Herald .
"But it's important for him to establish himself as a player and leader of the club. If his actions off the field prevent him from doing that, he's a silly boy who needs to grow up. I'm not privy to exactly what has gone on, but he's a victim of his own consequences."
When Carney re-signed with the Raiders, it was a sign that club officials were convinced he had left behind the alcohol-fuelled incidents that had pock-marked his career.
Last year, he was almost sacked after he was involved in a police chase through the backstreets of Canberra. He was ordered to perform 200 hours of community service and placed on a good behaviour bond.
"Mal was the one that asked me if I'd achieved everything I wanted to achieve in Canberra and my answer straight away was 'no'," Carney said at the time. "He said, 'Why don't you stay and achieve it'. To get that from Mal and just to even have a coffee with Mal Meninga was great. To get his support was even better."
Meninga has set him another challenge. "This is a speed bump," he said. "It's a test of character to see how he handles it."
- Warriors chief executive Wayne Scurrah has declared the club's viability remains secure despite one of owner Eric Watson's many companies facing serious financial difficulties.
Reports in New Zealand yesterday said that Hanover Finance, which Watson owns with Mark Hotchin, was to freeze about $NZ500 million ($390 million) of investors' money and start working on a restructuring plan.
It triggered fears about the impact it might have on the Warriors, but Scurrah told the Herald last night: "We've been well briefed on it and it is business as normal. It's a very small part of Eric's business interests. The club is in a stable financial position."