Steve Irwin: Raiders told me to lie to save Todd Carney
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24067174-5001021,00.html
By Dean Ritchie
July 24, 2008 12:00am
Spilling the beans ... sacked Raider Steve Irwin in Brisbane yesterday. Photograph: Steve Pohlner
SACKED Canberra player Steve Irwin last night explosively claimed Raiders management asked him to lie to police to save star Todd Carney from jail.
Irwin was sacked in June 2007 after a high-speed police pursuit with Carney driving.
Carney was later charged with driving with a suspended licence, but Irwin said he lied to save Carney from the more serious charge of driving under the influence.
Irwin said Raiders management asked him to cover-up Carney's guilt.
He was told to lie to police by saying he asked Carney - who had his licence suspended at the time - to drive home after a night out after consuming several drinks himself.
More seriously, Irwin alleged Canberra asked him to tell police Carney was not drunk - claims which could force police to reopen their investigation.
Raiders chairman John McIntyre last night aggressively denied the allegations.
Already unlicensed, Carney abandoned the car in a dead-end street after the police chase, leaving Irwin behind.
He narrowly escaped jail after being found guilty of the lesser charges of fleeing police and driving while disqualified.
Had Irwin told police Carney had been drinking, it is possible the Raiders star would have been jailed.
Despite lying to save his mate, Irwin was left stunned when he was sacked three days later after being led to believe he would be only fined a day's pay.
He has since retired from rugby league after playing in the local Brisbane competition.
It was alleged that Carney urinated on a fellow patron at the All Bar Nun nightclub in Canberra last Sunday. The complaint against Carney, from a friend of teammate Dane Tilse, was yesterday withdrawn.
But an angry Irwin said: "I lied to police for him and I haven't heard from him since. No 'thank you'.
"Key figures at Canberra told me to lie."
(Irwin named two Canberra officials but their names have been withheld for legal reasons).
"Canberra told me that I had to say to police that I asked Todd to drive. That was so he would only be charged with being unlicensed and wouldn't go to jail.
"I was worried about Todd going to jail.
"They asked me to say he wasn't p . . . . . and that would keep him out of jail. Todd was begging me not to go to jail.
"He was sending text messages saying we have to stick to our story.
"They said to say he hadn't been drinking. They were going to deduct me a day's pay for drinking while injured. That was all.
"Three days later I was in a cafe being sacked.
"I lost a contract worth $80,000. The only option Canberra gave me was to play for (feeder club) Souths Logan."
McIntyre was furious at Irwin's claims.
"Absolute bloody rubbish," McIntyre said.
"Irwin lacks credibility and discipline. That's why he has retired from footy. Wynnum (in Brisbane) didn't want him."
Asked why Irwin would make such allegations, McIntyre said: "Because he's dirty on us."
Carney was unavailable yesterday for comment while his manager David Riolo did not return calls.
The Raiders will convene a special board meeting this Saturday to discuss the dramas involving Carney and teammate Bronx Goodwin, who was yesterday charged with two counts of assault following a fight, also outside All Bar Nun on Sunday night.
Goodwin was summonsed to appear in ACT Magistrates with a hearing date to be determined.
Asked did Carney have a drinking problem, McIntyre said: "That's putting it mildly. It certainly sounds like the case.
"Counselling is one option but I don't want to pre-empt what the board and management will do.
"It is extremely disappointing.
"We were just starting to get some momentum and now this. It is certainly a dampener.
"We will sit down at the board meeting and look at the situation. We are very conscious of our responsibility to the game and the club."
A tiring NRL chief executive David Gallop is monitoring proceedings closely.
"It's difficult to comment but they are serious allegations which are a matter for police if he (Irwin) wished to pursue them," Gallop said.
Canberra CEO Don Furner stressed Goodwin and Carney would remain suspended pending the ongoing investigation.
"ACT policing has concluded their investigation in regards to the weekend's incidents, and the Raiders will now begin deciding on a course of action internally," 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."
