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Here’s how things unfolded:
Tuesday Midday: In the beginning, there was Todd
Sportal publishes a speculative story on Todd Carney heading to Greater Western Sydney. READ THE STORY HERE
This yarn was based on comments made the previous week by Giants CEO Dave Matthews to SEN’s Inside Football where he said NRL converts were definitely still on the horizon for the expansion club. So we thought, why not throw up the idea of Todd Carney heading there?
We said in the story the move was extremely unlikely but it was an idea just the same and something to talk about with your mates. After all, what’s wrong with a bit of banter on a Tuesday afternoon?
And banter was what we got as people took to social media to discuss it.
#AFL #NRL Sounds like somebody who doesn't have much to do with their time made up the Todd Carney to GWS Giants rumour
— Crowdiegal (@crowdiegal) July 30, 2014 @SportalAU @TheNRLLurker surely this article is taking the piss #hadtobesaid
— Cameron Dicksen (@CSD87) July 29, 2014 @normyzee @angie_gott @SportalAU At least if he plays in the AFL the media won't give a crap about his off-field behaviour!
— NJC (@NicholasClark82) July 29, 2014 But that was when things got interesting ...
Tuesday Evening: Todd gets off and running
The Triple M Grill team in Adelaide are presenting an AFL rumour file segment. It’s not overly serious but not only do they pick up on the social media chatter about Carney heading to the AFL, they take it to the next level.
“What about this one,” asked the presenter. “NRL bad boy Todd Carney ... as we know his rugby league is well and truly all over in this country. My AFL source sent me a text message saying GWS CEO Dave Matthews has sounded out Todd Carney about doing a pre-season with GWS.”
Wednesday Morning: Todd crashes through and dots down
The story goes further when Triple M’s morning show in Sydney, The Grill Team, pick up on the ‘rumour’ from Adelaide and have a serious look at whether Carney could make it in the AFL.
NRL legend and Grill Team host Matty Johns felt the idea had some merit, even if it was very unlikely.
“He (Carney) has the body shape,” declared Johns. “He’s thick across the hips, got a low centre of gravity ... he’s an excellent kicker and he’s fast and he’s agile. He’s got those attributes. They obviously look at him and they see serious potential there.
“I tip a hat to GWS. They’re doing their best. They’ve got some really good kids out there and they’re making steady progress, there’s no doubt about that. But it just shows the urgency that they are after profile.
“Since Israel’s walked out their results have improved, but their profile has actually gone down and they are stuck in a real storm in Sydney at the moment and the storm has got to do they’re in a rugby league town, but they’ve also got the Swans across the road who have got Buddy Franklin.
“They were gazumped by the Swans. So at the moment they’ve got the Swans and Buddy Franklin kicking everyone to death, including off the field kicking GWS to death and I think at the moment GWS are after a lot of publicity, they’re after anything they can get a lot of profile and they see Todd Carney ... What is the likelihood of it happening, I find it extremely unlikely.”
Wednesday Morning: Try Disallowed
The discussion had suddenly become public enough for GWS CEO, Dave Matthews himself, to get involved, quashing the rumours before they took on even more life.
“Absolute rubbish,” declared Matthews when asked if there was any basis to it.
“A complete rumour. I don’t know where he got it, whether he made it up. But no, incorrect. Completely incorrect!
“I think probably it stems from some discussion that was around Israel Folau and Karmichael Hunt and the two opportunities those boys pursued but no we got no interest at all.
“We wish him well. He’s obviously got some things that he’s working through but, no there’s no truth to that at all.”
Well, we hoped for banter. Maybe we got a little bit more than we expected!