Not selected for Origin this year, the Sharks believe that is the making of Todd Carney and the reason why he is playing so well, with the Cronulla five-eighth orchestrating his side’s comfortable 38-10 rout of the Penrith Panthers at the newly christened Remondis Stadium.
Despite having to play out the remainder of the year with a cracked sternum – something Carney is not worried about – as the win moved the Sharks to within one point of Manly who have a game in hand.
By managing and containing the sternum injury, Carney believes that it will not have much of an effect on his game heading into the final rounds.
“We just have to manage it and contain it and do the right things to get it right,” Carney said of the injury.
“Hopefully with time it will just get better. It feels all right so hopefully when you needle it and put the pad on it, I’m confident it will be right.
“It will need time to heal but the time to heal will be from now until next Saturday.”
Initially disappointed at the fact that Carney had been snubbed, both from the individual Cialis and as a club, Sharks coach Shane Flanagan admits that it has turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the Sharks.
“Definitely. If he played Origin he wouldn’t probably be feeling the way he is at the moment,” Flanagan said.
“I thought his game was really classy with some of his touches and his passing.
“His goalkicking was outstanding, he’s in a really good place at the moment Todd.”
Also with a point to prove in the game was Sharks fullback Michael Gordon, who after some lengthy injury layoffs is starting to find his feet and ended up with two tries in the process.
“I didn’t think I had a point to prove, I left there on good terms,” Gordon said.
“There was no issue for me coming into the game, I just wanted to play well personally after last week.”
Admitting that his side played poorly was not hard for Panthers coach Ivan Cleary.
“It’s knocked a few pegs back now,” Panthers coach Ivan Cleary said.
“We’ve got to play better than that to have any hope, that’s probably the first thing.”
3. Todd Carney
2. Michael Gordon
1. Sosaia Feki