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TODD Carney's mother says the exiled NRL star is already a better person just three months into his tree change in north Queensland.
Mother and son were reunited yesterday when Leanne visited Carney's new home in Atherton to watch her boy play for the Roosters in the local Cairns competition.
Carney was last year sacked by the Canberra Raiders for a series of alcohol-related incidents and is spending this season in Queensland after being deregistered by the NRL. The 23-year-old signed a one-season deal with Atherton and works full-time at the Barron Valley Hotel, which is owned by Roosters club president Mick Nasser.
His mother, who will soon move there to work with her son in the hotel restaurant, has stood by the former Country halfback and believes a dose of reality has changed her son for the better.
I think it's the best thing that could have happened for him,'' Leanne said. "He's never had much work time. It's made him aware of the hours people put into their jobs. "And they're very close here, from a family point of view. He's among good people. They don't judge him here. They just see him as Todd.''
Carney's Roosters were equal competition leaders going into last night's home game against Innisfail. The Goulburn product trains every day and lives at the 75-year-old pub where he works a 40-hour week.
It is a far cry from his old life in Canberra, where the trappings of his six-figure salary did him more harm than good. But he appears to be content with his new life in a country town that hums to the beat of its footy team.
"The work's been good,'' Carney said. "I've been enjoying getting behind the bar. I can even pull a decent beer now. I've been a bit shy, but my confidence is getting better.''
Leanne praised Nasser and his wife, Maree, for looking after her son. Nasser said Carney had been a hard-working, welcome addition to the club, the hotel and the town of Atherton.
"We've taken him under our wing,'' Nasser said. "Maree and I have six kids. He'd be number seven, I guess. The regulars like him. They keep saying how well mannered he is.''
The Carneys have always been a close-knit family, even more so after the death of Todd's father, Daryl, last year. Todd's sister Melinda was also in town for last night's game, while the third sibling Krysten visited Atherton last month.
"He had a bad start but the people have been good to him,'' said Leanne, who loves the warmth of north Queensland and will move there in August.
"Mick and Maree have been great and looked after him. The work has made Todd a better person. There's no better way to bring the shyness out than to put him behind the bar.''
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegrap...006066,00.html
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