CRONULLA is poised to sign troubled star Todd Carney on a deal heavily loaded with behavioural clauses.
It is understood Cronulla has offered Carney a two-year deal under which he will earn more than $200,000 the first season and about $500,000 for the second if he stays out of trouble.
He has a few hurdles to jump through before the deal is ratified, with NRL chief executive David Gallop keen to get assurance from the troubled player he will not bring the game into disrepute again, following misdemeanours at his former clubs, the Roosters and Canberra.
"I've spoken to (Cronulla football manager) Darren Mooney and said that if they do reach terms with him, then before it's all locked away I would want to sit down with them and understand where he's at," Gallop said.
In Carney's favour is the fact Paul Gallen has backed him. Gallen will today sign a new deal at Cronulla that should keep the inspirational Sharks captain in the Sutherland Shire for life.
Gallen has been keen to lure a marquee player to the club and help transform it into a legitimate premiership threat.
Although the Sharks have some quality halves on the books in Wade Graham and Albert Kelly, Carney showed what he was capable of when he guided the Roosters into a grand final last year, and earned a Dally M medal for the best player in the game along the way.
"Gallen knows Todd has had some issues but Gal firmly believes a move to Cronulla could work out well for both parties," a Cronulla source told the Sportal website.
"It's not every day one of the best players in the NRL is made available to you."
The Sharks have called a press conference for this morning, when it will be announced that Gallen has agreed to extend his deal for another two years, taking him from the end of the 2013 season until the end of the 2015.
By the time his contract expires, the NSW captain will be 34 and would have spent 15 seasons at the Sharks, the club where he made his NRL debut in 2001.
Meanwhile, Test forward Tony Williams has officially put pen to paper and re-signed with NRL premier Manly for a further two seasons.
Williams, who made his Kangaroos debut in Sunday's 42-6 demolition of New Zealand, shunned interest from a number of rival clubs, including Cronulla, to stay with the Sea Eagles until the end of 2013.
The news will come as a welcome relief for the Sea Eagles, who have watched the club being pulled apart since they won the club's eighth premiership by beating the Warriors earlier this month.
While young winger Will Hopoate, who will link with Parramatta, and coach Des Hasler, who joins Canterbury at the end of next year, have announced their futures lie elsewhere, Williams stayed loyal.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/cronulla-sharks-ready-to-snap-up-todd-carney/story-e6frg7mf-1226170079206
