Canberra appear to have finally forgiven Todd Carney for his sins, admitting they would be happy for the Sydney Roosters fullback to return to the Raiders.
Carney, sacked by Canberra in 2008 for a series of alcohol-related offences, turned in a man-of-the-match performance against South Sydney on Sunday in his first game back in the NRL.
He is contracted at Bondi Junction for three years, but Raiders chairman John McIntyre admitted the club would be happy to accommodate Carney if he was interested in returning to the Green Machine.
"You don't burn bridges in this game and the door's always open," McIntyre said.
"I've always known that there was a potential risk that he could come back to haunt us. If he keeps going the way he is, that may well happen, but we're certainly not death-riding the fellow."
Sydney Roosters chief executive Steve Noyce said Carney was only one game into a deal that didn't expire until the end of 2012.
However, he admitted he was happy Carney had his life under control, with the former wild child making a new-year pact with some of his teammates, including Mitchell Pearce and Nate Myles, to stay off alcohol.
"The trick in life is learning from your mistakes, isn't it?" Noyce said.
"Unfortunately, from time to time we all make mistakes and the smart people will learn from them."
McIntyre, who was part of the board that sacked Carney after he refused to adhere to strict alcohol guidelines the club wanted in his contract, said he was happy the former star player had his life back under control.
After he was sacked by Canberra, the NRL said it would not register a contract for Carney if another club tried to sign him for the 2009 season, forcing him to ply his trade as a park footballer in the far north Queensland town of Atherton.
He returned to the NRL with the Roosters, switching from the halves to fullback. Now his trial form and the performance in the opening round against the Rabbitohs make him an early contender for buy of the season.
Although he has had no contact with Carney since the club sacked him, McIntyre said he would be happy to shake his hand when the two clubs faced each other in April.
"Of course we're happy for him - he's a talent," McIntyre said.
McIntyre said Carney would one day don the green and gold for Australia, but a more probable scenario was an appearance in the sky blue of New South Wales this season.
If early form is any guide, Carney could definitely be part of the Blues' bid to end their four-year Origin drought.
