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 Teammates sick of Carney's booze behaviour 

Teammates sick of Carney's booze behaviour

25/07/2008 1:43:48 AM

TROUBLED Raiders star Todd Carney is far from guaranteed of being reinstated to the club's line-up next week, amid revelations that teammates are tiring of his alcohol-fuelled antics.

A security guard at the bar where Carney was alleged to have urinated on a friend of Raiders prop Dane Tilse yesterday accused the Canberra playmaker of a history of misbehaviour, and club chairman John McIntyre conceded the 22-year-old star might not be "right in the head".

Despite escaping any police action over an incident outside All Bar Nun nightspot that led to Canberra utility back Bronx Goodwin being charged with two counts of assault, Raiders officials are concerned by Carney's behaviour after a string of misdemeanours that resulted in him almost being sacked and jailed last year.

Claims by former Canberra fullback Steve Irwin that Raiders officials told him to tell police that Carney hadn't been drinking after the halfback led them on a high-speed chase through suburban streets before abandoning the car were strenuously denied by the club yesterday and may result in legal action.

But on a day in which Bulldogs stars Ben Roberts and Lee Te Maari were stood down over their involvement in a bar brawl at Cronulla last Sunday night, the Raiders confirmed Carney's immediate playing future would also be under threat when the club's board meets between the under-20 match and the NRL fixture against Gold Coast at Canberra Stadium tomorrow.

"When it comes to a car, you take away a person's right to drive and it's the same thing with footballers," McIntyre said. "The thing they really love is playing, so it hurts them if they're unable to do so. I'm not saying that's what we're going to do but it's something we will talk about. Whatever we do has to be in the best interests of the game and the best interests of the club and it might be a bit like what [former horse owner] Tony Hartnell did with Takeover Target. The only difference is that he had a horse that wasn't right in the leg and we've got a player who isn't right in the head."

While Carney has not been charged by police, McIntyre said he should have learnt from his previous mistakes after last year being stood down by the club and ordered to undergo 200 hours of community service for his third driving offence.

"The fact he was there and the fact he let himself get into this situation is very disappointing," McIntrye said. "One of the concerns I have is whether we as a club didn't take our eye off the ball."

The security guard who barred Carney last Sunday night claimed the Raiders star was trashing the reputation of his side and has a long history of misbehaviour - especially towards women.

Breaking his silence on the wild scenes at All Bar Nun last Sunday night that led to a complaint levelled against Carney for allegedly urinating on a patron, bouncer Ben Casey said Raiders management needed to take urgent action against their wayward halfback.

"The rest of the players aren't the problem - it's Todd Carney," he said. "He's ruining the reputation of the team and he has been doing it for years. It's just one little p---head who can't control his grog.

"His attitude towards women is nothing short of disgraceful. He barks at women because he thinks they are dogs. I've seen it for many years. The Sunday night before, he had to be quietly asked to leave for barking at a girl. He is the perfect example of someone who shouldn't drink.

"The other players are embarrassed by his actions. Adrian Purtell called me [on Monday morning] to apologise for what happened."

Tilse, who used to live with Carney, is believed to furious about being dragged into the incident between his teammate and a friend who had visited from interstate to watch him play against the Roosters that afternoon. Tilse's friend alleged that Carney had urinated on him but later withdrew the complaint to police.

The Raiders players were involved in the decision to stand down Carney and Goodwin from tomorrow's match but Canberra chief executive Don Furner said that was done to lessen the disruption on the team's preparations due to the police investigation. However, McIntyre said Carney's teammates were becoming "frustrated" with his behaviour.

"They'd be like all of us and if anything, the players would probably be more frustrated than we are because they're there day in and day out whereas we're on the sidelines looking on," he said. "We're like the handle to a mug, we're on it, we're not in it."

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