Jets vow to help Carney find his form - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Jets vow to help Carney find his form

Ian McCullough 17/06/2011 05:47:22 PM Comments (0)

Newtown Jets coach Greg Matterson believes his NSW Cup side can help Todd Carney rediscover the form that saw him win the Dally M Medal last year.

While 2010 was a dream 12 months for the former Canberra playmaker, with his inspirational displays for the Roosters guiding the team to the grand final and earning him selection for Australia, 2011 has been a nightmare for the 25-year-old.

Off-field issues, a nagging groin injury and a loss of form have contributed to make Carney look a shadow of his former self, and on Saturday he will turn out at fullback for the Jets against Manly at Brookvale Oval, with the Roosters having the bye this weekend.

"Todd has been good, he is a good trainer, he slipped straight in, he wants to play for us which is a really good thing," Matterson told AAP.

"Todd is here to try and find some form ... we are coming into the game on the back of a loss, we need to help each other.

"We can't look at him and expect him to win the game for us, and he can't look at us and think we are going to make it happen for him, it's a team game."

Carney's loss of form has coincided with a woeful run by the Roosters this season, with Brian Smith's side sitting in 13th spot on the ladder with just four wins to their name this season.

Despite having a high-profile name on his teamsheet, Matterson insists the new addition will receive nothing more than a warm welcome from his new teammates.

"He will be treated no different to a player coming up from Bundy Cup, there is no special treatment here, all of our players are equal, he is just another footy player and that is the way he would want it as well," he said.

"I've had Mitch Pearce, Martin Kennedy, Anthony Minichiello, Nate Myles, Willie Mason and several internationals playing for us, we shake their hand and make them welcome, but after that they are just one of the boys playing a game of footy."

Matterson revealed Smith contacted him earlier this week about Carney playing but warned him not to expect an easy ride.

"Smithy rang me and said Todd would be keen to have a run and asked could we accommodate him, I said he could be captain if he liked!" he said.

"He is a good bloke Todd, we are just helping to get him back to his best and hopefully he will get a bit of space, but we can't just throw him the footy and expect a miracle.

"But it is not going to be a walk in the park for him, there are some decent players in all the premier league sides and although he will get a bit more space and time than he does in the NRL, the other team will be well aware Todd Carney is in our side and they will be doing their best to blot him out."

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