ON THE same day the Sydney Roosters returned to start life after Todd Carney, the exiled playmaker finally fulfilled what many predicted he would do: wear the sky blue.
While the Cronulla colours are a far cry from the NSW variety he was once tipped to wear, there is no downplaying the significance of Carney's first day in the shire.
The newest Shark was a protected species, under strict instruction to avoid the media at the club's first pre-season training session at Sylvania Waters Athletics Track.
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His teammates took on all the responsibility yesterday, but even after just one day it is already clear who will be demanding the spotlight when the season kicks off in March. Sharks incumbent five-eighth Wade Graham, one of Cronulla's best last season, said he would happily step aside and make the transition to lock next year to accommodate the former Roosters No.6.
Coach Shane Flanagan told the Herald last week that he wouldn't follow Brian Smith's lead and experiment with Carney in the fullback role, leaving Graham, Jeff Robson, Chad Townsend and Albert Kelly to fight for the right to partner Carney in the halves.
''I'm open to playing at lock, and 'Flanno' knows that,'' the 95 kilogram Graham said. ''If he wants me to play there and it's the best thing for the team, then happy days. I played a few games at lock at the back end of my time when I was at the Panthers, and I didn't mind it. The role I played was a ball-in-hand type of role
I'll play seven, six or 13; whatever Flanno wants me to play, I'll play.''
While Carney's signing is a huge boost for the Sharks, it makes Robson's assignment to crack into the first grade team even more difficult.
The former Eel turned down a one-year deal with Parramatta to join Cronulla but insisted Carney's arrival hadn't left him second-guessing his decision to jump ship.
''I was offered a contract earlier in the year to stay with Parramatta,'' Robson said. ''It was an OK contract, it wasn't great, but they went one way and I just had to look after myself and get a bit of stability with a two-year option over here. If I stayed at Parra, they had already signed a few halves, and going to any new club there's always people in that position so you're never guaranteed a spot.''
The 29-year-old is still commuting from his Dee Why home but will be moving to Cronulla at the end of the year. His wife gave birth to the couple's first child, Charlotte, three weeks ago, a factor in the halfback's decision to sign the two-year deal.
''I've got a young family now that I have to look after,'' Robson said. ''When I signed, my wife was pregnant. You are only in rugby league for a short time so you have to look after yourself.''
Centre Colin Best, who spent two years with Carney at the Raiders before Carney was sacked by the club for a series of off-field misdemeanours, welcomed his former teammate with open arms.
The Sharks already have one of the strongest forward packs in the competition, but Best believes the addition of Carney is a huge boost to the weakest link in their armour: their back line.
''I'm really happy the club bought him, not only for the team but for my personal game,'' Best said. ''He adds a lot of width to a team. From my positional point of view, it will be fantastic playing outside him. When I first played with him he always had a lot of talent but I think he's matured a lot since I last played with him. He's got a little bit more polish and knows when to do things at certain times. He was a great talent and he's starting to live up to that.''
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