Catalan Dragons will bid farewell to Ben Farrar at the end of the season but have ruled out signing Todd Carney as a replacement.
Catalan coach Trent Robinson rules out move for controversial Aussie
Catalan Dragons will bid farewell to Ben Farrar at the end of the season but have ruled out signing Todd Carney as a replacement.
The French club have been linked in Australia with Carney, the 2010 international player of the year who was released from the final year of his Sydney Roosters deal after alcohol-related off-field issues.
A move to Huddersfield in 2009 fell through after Carney was unable to obtain a visa. But Dragons coach Trent Robinson insisted there was no prospect of his club stepping in as they did when Greg Bird's move to Bradford was blocked.
"Todd is someone I had the pleasure of coaching," said Robinson. "I've talked to him but more as a friend.
"We're not in a position to sign Todd, although he is the sort of player we should be bringing to Super League. We need world-class players in our competition.
"We've signed Leon (Pryce) for next year and we've got Thommo (Thomas Bosc) and Scott Dureau so we're well covered in that area and we haven't got a quota spot."
Declined
Robinson confirmed 24-year-old Farrar will return to Manly Sea Eagles after declining the option of a second year in Perpignan.
Farrar started the Dragons' opening 13 Super League matches before damaging knee ligaments in a Challenge Cup tie at Leigh in May.
"Ben wants to have another crack in the NRL," said Robinson. "He's been really good for us. Sadly the injury didn't help but we'd welcome him back at some stage."
Farrar is the Dragons' only remaining long-term injury and will sit out Sunday's final game of the regular season at Salford, but could return during the play-offs.
